Second Chance
by VoodooQueen
Summary: Sub Zero finds a new student to replace Frost. Will he be able to bond with his new student or will his guilt over Frost prevent it? What happens when Frost decides to come back?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I wrote this for my friend Proxy after much begging and pleading on her part. She is a MK groupie, lol. I should also mention that this is FANFICTION (duh!) so I have taken certain liberties. So don't be mad at me…I just do what the muse tells me to, lol. It is still a work in progress and I'm not sure where it is going just yet. That being said, feedback is much appreciated to help me steer this in the right direction. So read and review…FOR THE SAKE OF THE ELDER GODS!!!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing….I am broke….Please don't sue…..On with the show!!!**

Sub Zero sat behind his ornately carved desk contemplating the information he had just received. He picked up the message and reread it for the sixth time, his dark brown eyes darting quickly from left to right. It was a very simple note, only a paragraph long, but the file that accompanied it spoke volumes…

_Grandmaster Sub Zero,_

_I hope this message finds you in good spirit. It has been recently brought to my attention that I am in possession something that could be of great interest to you given your….abilities. Please find the enclosed documentation and contact me should you wish to discuss this matter further._

_Wei_

Sub Zero opened the file to the first page and began to skim through it's contents taking in all the vital information. If what he was reading was to be believed, Master Wei had uncovered another that shared his "gift". Sub Zero, however, was skeptical. He had been through this before and each time he had been disappointed.

Kori powers were rare at best. Besides himself, there were only two others that he knew possessed them, his brother and his former pupil, Frost. Both had chosen different paths, leaving him to himself. Ever since the tragic incident with Frost and discovery of his heritage he had been on a sort of personal quest to find others like himself. There had been a few that claimed such talents, but all had turned out to be fakes and imposters. Perhaps this time it would be different. Master Wei never made a declaration of anything without being absolutely certain. Sighing, Sub Zero picked up his phone and dialed.

"Master Wei", Sub Zero addressed the man who had answered the phone.

"Ah, Grandmaster! I take it you received my package, yes? Of course you did or you wouldn't be calling." The older man laughed slightly.

"You are certain of this? You have seen this yourself?"

Wei laughed again, "Of course I am certain, my boy. I would have never contacted you if I hadn't been. I take matters such as these very seriously."

"How long has she been with you?"

A pause on Wei's end. "She has been with a local instructor, Xiong, since she was just a child, five or six years old. That would be about 15 or 16 years….."

"Sixteen years!" , Sub Zero cut Wei off. "That is incredible. How has she managed to go undetected for so long?"

"Grandmaster," Wei started, " Xiong has basically kept the girl to himself. He took her in as his own after her parents died, a couple of Americans. The girl had no other living relatives either here or in the US. He has been solely responsible for her upbringing, schooling, and what training she has received since then. He knew of her abilities and chose to hide them from us. It was brought to my attention quite by accident. Apparently, he believes he has been…..protecting her."

"Protecting her from whom?"

"Us, Grandmaster. He has been protecting her from us. He was afraid that the Lin Kuei would get wind of her abilities and try to use her to our own advantage, as I am sure you are more than aware, was a great possibility. Those before you were much less...considerate."

There was a brief silence on Sub Zero's end of the line as he took this in. It was true that before Sub Zero's time as Grandmaster, being gifted also meant being cursed. His body still bore the scars of his early training. He viewed them as a reminder to never go the way of the Grandmasters before him. He would be fair, just, and above all humane to those who trained under him.

"Grandmaster?" Wei interrupted his thoughts.

"I think I should like to come and see this girl for myself. Then I shall decide what to do from there…" Sub Zero's voice trailed off.

"Of course, Grandmaster. I will be expecting you soon." Wei hung up the phone.

Sub Zero hung up the phone and ran a hand through his dark hair. Yes, he thought, he would go see the girl. He would see what she could do, if she could do anything at all. Perhaps he wasn't alone in his power after all. Again, he found himself thinking that maybe, just maybe, this time would be different. He picked up his phone once again to make travel arrangements.

End of Chapter One

**YAY! Wasn't that fun? LOL! Lemme know what y'all think. By the way, I haven't thought of a title for this yet, so if anyone has any ideas for a good one lay it on me. I am totally open to ideas and suggestions. Just be nice! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Are you kidding me? An update already? I must be out of my mind! I still have no idea what the heck I'm doing. Just bear with me! Please read and review and all that good stuff. **

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing….I am still broke….I like puppies…..um…yeah…..**

"Will you stop pacing already? You're going to wear a hole in the floor….."

"This is all my fault. I am so freaking STUPID!" Wren flung herself onto the bed. "I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I KNOW BETTER! What do you think they're doing to Master Xiong?"

Misato sighed and crossed the room to sit on the bed by her friend. Actually, friend was an understatement. After Wren's parents died, she had come to live with Misato and her grandfather, Xiong, because she didn't have anywhere else to go. The two girls had grown up together and by all accounts considered themselves to be sisters.

"This is NOT your fault…" Misato ran her fingers gently through Wren's dark blonde hair in an attempt to comfort her. "…and I am sure Grandfather is fine. They said they just wanted to talk….."

"I swear to God if they hurt him I'll…"

"You'll do what, exactly?" Both girls jumped at the sound of the voice and turned toward the doorway.

A very tired looking Xiong stood in the doorway leaning on his cane for support. Time had taken its toll on Xiong. Once he was a ferocious fighter and competitor, now he was reduced to a bent, frail old man. The spark of life still burned fiercely in his eyes, however, and was enough to make anyone think twice about challenging the man's authority.

"Misato, please excuse us. Wren and I have much we need to discuss."

"Yes, Grandfather." Misato took one last look at her friend and gave her hand a squeeze before getting up and leaving the room.

Xiong crossed the room and sat down next to Wren in the spot Misato had just vacated. They sat in silence. Xiong, deep in thought, seemed to examine the intricate carvings on his cane. Wren perched on the edge of the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest, wishing with every fiber of her being that the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

"Wren.."

"I'M SORRY!" Wren threw her arms around the old man burying her head in his shoulder to hide the tears that had started to form in her bright green eyes. "I should have never…."

"Wren…," Xiong gently pushed the girl off of him and cupped her face in his hands. "What's done is done. I always knew that this day would come eventually. As much as I wanted to protect you, I knew we couldn't hide it forever. It was just a matter of time. Perhaps this may not be the terrible thing I envisioned it to be…" Xiong dropped his hands and shifted his gaze to look out the window.

"What happened? What did they say?"

"The Lin Kuei, or more specifically, the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei has taken a special interest in your ability. Apparently, he possesses the very same gift. He will be traveling here in the next couple days. He wishes to meet with you to discuss matters….and no doubt to see you….perform." Xiong said quietly.

"Discuss what matters? I can't even control this….whatever you want to call it. It just happens. What does he want me to do? Build him a freaking snowman??? I have nothing to say to him. He can go slither back under whatever rock he crawled out from under. I have nothing to say to any of them. They can all go to hell." Wren crossed her arms, her mind made up.

"Wren, Grandmaster Sub Zero…"

"Sub Zero?!" Wren burst out laughing. "What the hell kind of name is Sub Zero?"

"Grandmaster Sub Zero…" Xiong continued, "from what I gather, is apparently in good company. It seems that since he has gained control of the Lin Kuei that he has, as you girls like to say, cleaned house. He has aligned the Lin Kuei with the warriors of Earthrealm and has fought on their side in Mortal Kombat to insure this realm's safety. Even Lord Raiden has called upon his service."

"Earth what? Mortal Kombat? Safe from what? Who is Raiden? I don't understand what you're….."

"These are things you will learn more about as time goes on. We need not discuss all of this now. You're not ready for all that yet. In the mean time, I don't think it would hurt for you to meet with the Grandmaster and see what he has to say. Keep an open mind. You may actually learn something." Xiong stood and ruffled Wren's hair affectionately. "Give it some thought." Xiong left the room leaving Wren sitting on the bed still looking confused.

"What did he say?" Misato popped her head back around the corner.

"I think he has finally gone senile….or they knocked him in the head."

Misato plopped back down beside her friend. "Why?"

" I thought he would be upset. He actually WANTS me to go talk to their Grandmaster Sub… something. He was talking about realms and kombat and some dude named Rainman or something like that….it made absolutely no sense."

"Bizarre…" Misato stretched out on the bed. "So what are you going to do? Are you going to go talk to the head honcho?"

"I don't know. Maybe. He said this guy can do the same thing I can and that maybe I could learn something. What do you think I should do?"

"I think that Grandfather wouldn't suggest you speak to him without good reason. I KNOW he wouldn't let you speak to him if he thought it would put you in danger. He would have us packed up and moved by now if that were the case."

Wren sighed. "I know. I am just so lost. I have no idea what's going on."

"Everything happens for a reason, Wren. Like Grandfather says, there are no accidents. This could turn out to be a good thing." Misato reasoned.

"Or completely horrendous and traumatic…."

Misato laughed, "Now there's the spirit!"

End of Chapter 2

**Two chapters in two days….still untitled….still no idea where the heck this is going….but that's half the fun isn't it??? **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Well…another day another chapter I guess. Lemme know how I'm doing. I have a couple story lines playing around in my head right now…so I guess this thing could go one of two ways…I'm still not sure. Guidance is always appreciated! And now for the……**

**Disclaimer: I really, really wish I owned Mortal Kombat…I'd be filthy rich…but I don't….so I'm not.**

"Ah, welcome Grandmaster, we are honored by your presence." Master Wei bowed respectfully before Sub Zero. "In addition to the information I sent you, I was able to retrieve the other documents you asked for. Everything is laid out in my office. I do hope that everything is to your satisfaction."

"Thank you. I am sure it will be. Where is she?" Sub Zero glanced around him.

"You want to get right down to business I see." Wei laughed slightly. "She is tucked safely away in my office. We wouldn't want her getting lost, now would we?"

Sub Zero glared at the man. "You locked her in your office?"

"She isn't very thrilled about being here, sir. Master Xiong asked her to come, but a couple of our recruits had to…. physically bring her here this morning. We figured it best not to let her wander off."

Sub Zero sighed. '_What a wonderful first impression'_, he thought to himself. Kidnapping her and locking her up was not what he had in mind. He had been eager to come here and talk to her, excited even. All the information he had received from Wei indicated that her ability was genuine. He had been hopeful and wanted this meeting to take place on a positive note. That notion now seemed crushed. This was going to be difficult.

"Take me to her." Sub Zero said coolly.

"Of course, sir. Please, follow me." Wei turned and started down the hallway, Sub Zero following close behind.

Wren sat stiffly in the chair. Her fingers dug into the wooden armrests until her knuckles were white. She glanced around the office. She had been sitting here for almost an hour and no one had been in to see her since this Master Wei person had left her to go find the Grandmaster. Perhaps they forgot about her, she mused. Maybe she could still sneak out of here without anyone noticing her gone. She suddenly felt that this was a very bad idea. Why had she allowed herself to be taken here?

The sound of footsteps coming down the hall brought her to attention. Wren felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. Her mouth was dry and the office suddenly seemed unbearably hot and stuffy. The steps paused briefly outside the office door before moving on down the hallway. Then, silence once more.

Wren couldn't stand it anymore. The need to flee from the office had become too much for her. She stood up quickly and stalked across the room with every intention of storming out of the place. She reached the door only to find that it had been locked from the outside.

"Damn it!" she hissed. Wren spun around on her heel and leaned against the door.

She took a moment to inspect her surroundings. The office that she currently occupied was fairly large but scarcely furnished. On the walls, various weaponry hung on display. A bookcase overflowing with books and scrolls was pushed into one corner of the room. A simple, but large, oak desk sat in the middle. A couple wooden chairs sat on one side of the desk and a large leather chair sat on the other.

On the desk were several large, dusty volumes of what appeared to be some sort of encyclopedia, some rolled up parchment, various writing utensils, a decanter full of water and a couple glasses. Wren took notice of an open file folder sitting on the desk. A closer look revealed her name typed neatly at the top of the first page. The sense of foreboding returned, but curiosity getting the best of her, she decided to take a closer look.

"What the hell is this?" Wren flipped through the files contents. Inside were copies of her birth certificate from a hospital in Chicago, profiles of both her parents, her father's military discharge papers, passport photos, documents from the Chinese government granting her parents permission to stay in the country, and her parents death certificates. What intrigued her most was a twelve page biography about herself. Her entire life had been summarized within those pages. In the margins of the paper she noticed someone had made notations in a neat, masculine script.

The sound of muffled voices and footsteps coming quickly down the hallway made her jump. She quickly closed the folder and moved to the other side of the desk, sliding back into the chair she had been sitting in earlier. Her heart once again pounding in her ears and dread filling her entire body as the footsteps stopped directly outside the door. A couple voices seemed to carry on a brief discussion that Wren couldn't make out before she heard one set of footsteps head back the direction they had come. Wren held her breath, willing the other person outside to leave as well. No sooner had the thought ran through her head, she heard a key in the lock and a click as the door swung open.

End of Chapter 3

**OMG!!! What's going to happen next?!?! I'd love to tell you….but….I don't know! Stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I had two different versions of this chapter. I chose to post the one you are reading. Depending on how this story progresses...I may replace it with the other version. We shall see...**

**Disclaimer: Do I own Mortal Kombat??? Sadly, no.**

Sub Zero stood outside the office door and watched Master Wei retreat back down the hallway in the direction they had come. He would definitely have to have a talk with the man before he left to head back to the Lin Kuei headquarters. While Sub Zero had much respect for Wei, his tactics in dealing with the girl were not with keeping with the image of the "new" Lin Kuei. During the walk over Wei had indicated that the girl had rejected the invitation to meet, even at the urging of her own teacher, and had to be "escorted" to the compound.

Sub Zero hesitated only a moment to collect his thoughts before he pushed the key into the lock and opened the door. Before him, sitting rigidly in a chair, was a young woman. Her gaze was fixed on a spot on the floor in front of her. She didn't even look up as he crossed the room and took a seat in the leather chair across the desk from her. Her only acknowledgement of his presence was to tighten her grip on the armrests of the chair she was sitting in.

He took a moment to look her over. She was quite lovely. She had delicate features, a long, slender neck, and a slim, fit physique. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back in a twist. She seemed to be studying the floor, her eyebrows drawn together in a look of intense concentration. It was impossible to tell what color her eyes were with her gaze downcast and Sub Zero fought the urge to reach across the desk and force her to look at him. Sub Zero took a deep breath.

"I want to apologize for the way my associate treated you this morning. It was completely uncalled for and I do not encourage nor condone such action. Be assured that he shall be disciplined." Sub Zero's voice broke the silence, startling the girl and causing her head to snap up. Her bright green eyes locked onto his brown ones.

"I was hoping this meeting would be a pleasant one," he continued. "If you are willing to stay and speak with me, I am sure we would have things of great interest to discuss."

The girl cocked an eyebrow at him curiously. "What if I'm not willing to stay and speak to you?" Her voice was soft and quiet.

"In that case, it has been my pleasure to meet you and you are free to go." Sub Zero motioned toward the door.

"So thats it? I can just go home?" The idea of walking out and going home seemed to make her brighten considerably.

"Yes." Sub Zero watched her carefully. She sat tensely on the edge of her seat, looking like she was ready to spring up at any moment and bolt toward the door. Her eyes darted to the door and back to Sub Zero suspiciously.

"If I stayed...", she swallowed nervously, "what would we be...discussing?"

"I believe you have a pretty good idea." His gaze never faltering as he continued to study her. She looked longingly at the door once more then back to meet his eyes. She took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat.

"Alright.", she said. "I'll stay." She seemed to relax ever so slightly.

"Excellent. Allow me to properly introduce myself. They call me Sub Zero. I am Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. And you are?"

"I think everything you need to know about me is in that file." She nodded toward the file on the desk.

Sub Zero picked up the file and tossed it aside carelessly. "I would prefer to hear it from you. I like to get my information from the source. What's your name?"

"Wren." , she said quietly. "My name is Wren."

"Wren," he said, getting a feel for the name. "Wren what?"

"Wren Michelle Matthews." She glanced toward the door again before looking back at him.

"Changed your mind already, Wren? Want to leave?"

"No..." She sounded unsure.

"Very well then. How old are you, Wren?"

"I'm twenty-two."

"How did you come to be here? In China?" he asked.

"My parents moved here when I was four. My mother was offered a job at the university."

Sub Zero hesitated to ask his next question. He had read her file. He already knew the answer but he wasn't sure how she would feel about answering it. He knew how he felt when he thought of his parents, his mother especially. He along with his older bother were taken away from her by their father at a young age and brought to the Lin Kuei, and although he didn't show it, the loss still affected him greatly. He often found himself wondering what his life would have been like had he been allowed to remain with his mother. The sense of safety and security he had felt in her presence as a child was something he hadn't felt since and he missed it terribly.

"Wren...what happened to your parents?" He asked the question as carefully as he could, unsure of how she would react.

Wren mulled the question over in her mind. She really didn't like to think about her parents. Even after all the time that had passed, she still had the occasional nightmare about her mother. They weren't as intense as they were when it first happened, but once in a while they were bad enough to make her wake up drenched in a cold sweat. She wasn't sure how to answer. Did he want the simple explanation or did he want details?

"Wren?" He gently prodded.

Her face clouded over. "They're...they passed away when I was six. My father was killed in an accident. My mother couldn't deal with the loss and she...I found her in the bathroom. I couldn't wake her up." She dropped her eyes to her lap.

"I'm sorry. I had to ask." She looked very vulnerable at that moment. He had to restrain the sudden impulse to go around the desk and comfort her.

"It was a long time ago." Wren snapped back into the present.

"That's how you came to be with Master Xiong?"

"Yeah. He was a close friend of my father. He was always like a grandfather to me. I don't have anyone else. He and Misato are all I've got." Thinking of Xiong and Misato made her smile.

"He's taken good care of you. From what I have gathered, he has taught you a lot. Martial arts?"

Wren laughed. "Not so much. He says fighting for the sake of fighting is unbecoming of a lady. He taught Misato and I San Soo...just in case, but he didn't push it. His specialty was swords when he was younger, the jian. He was a master swordsman."

"He trained you to use the jian?"

"I could lop someones head off if I had to." Wren shrugged. "Its not exactly a situation that comes up all the time."

"You'd be surprised..." Sub Zero said under his breath.

"What?" Wren asked.

"Nothing. What about your other...abilities?" he asked.

"Abilities?" It took Wren a second to grasp what he was asking.

"Yes, your freezing abilities. How long have you had them and what do you know?" This was the part of the conversation Sub Zero had been anxious to get to.

"Oh...I don't know. I was maybe ten or eleven. I don't really know that much. Master Xiong has always discouraged me from using it."

Sub Zero frowned. "Discouraged you? Why?"

"Because of this. Sitting here talking to you. He said the Lin Kuei were like a pack of rabid dogs, mindless killers and thieves, and if they ever found out...well...he said it wouldn't be a good thing. Apparently he has changed his stance on the subject."

Sub Zero nodded. He couldn't argue with the truth. He had been a killer and thief. He had changed. Things were different now. The Lin Kuei was different now.

"Can you control your power at all?"

"Just a little bit. I guess Master Xiong's feeling was always that if we ignored it maybe it would go away...but after the accident with the Shar Pei..." Wren trailed off.

"Shar Pei?" Sub Zero raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Misato had a Shar Pei. It was her birthday present. I was home alone and the stupid dog wouldn't quit barking and it was getting on my nerves. I was really tired of listening to him so I decided I was just going to throw him outside until she got back. I opened the door and grabbed him...and I don't know what happened. The next thing I knew, he was frozen solid. Just like that." Wren snapped her fingers for emphasis. "How do you explain something like that to somebody?" Wren asked the last question seriously.

Sub Zero had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "You froze the dog?" An amused smile played around the corners of his mouth.

"It was an accident. After that Master Xiong figured I should at least know how NOT to freeze the family pet. He said I needed to learn restraint. What I've figured out I've figured out on my own and it isn't much. I never anticipated it serving a useful purpose so I saw no reason to hone my skills."

"Are you able to give me a demonstration of what you are able to do?" Sub Zero, although he appeared calm, was full of anticipation, eager to see any physical manifestation that showed she shared the same power he possessed.

Wren's eyes widened at the request. "Ummm...you mean like right now?"

"Certainly. If you are so inclined. I would love to see it." He looked at her intently.

"Ummm..." Wren's eyes searched the room. Her gaze fell upon the decanter full of water that rested on the edge of the desk. She bit her bottom lip as she slid forward in her chair and reached for the decanter. She wrapped her fingers around the glass. Inside the decanter the water began to freeze as frost formed over the outside surface. The change in temperature from the rapidly cooling liquid caused the decanter to crack along the side. Once the water inside was frozen solid, Wren removed her hand and slid back into her chair. She looked back at the Grandmaster, waiting for what would come next.

"That was..." Sub Zero tried to control the tone of his voice. "That was perfect. Outstanding."

Wren shrugged. "It'll have to do because thats about the extent of what I've got."

Sub Zero actually laughed. "No, really. That was fantastic. I thank you for your time and for speaking with me."

"That's it? We're done?" Wren felt slightly let down. This whole thing seemed terribly anticlimactic to her.

"For now. With your consent, there are some things I would like to speak with Master Xiong about. Would that be alright?"

"Uh, sure. I can go home now?" Wren stood up.

"I'll walk you to the door." Sub Zero stood as well and moved toward the door. Wren followed. She was shorter than him and her head only came up to his shoulder. _'She probably weighs next to nothing...I bet I could pick her up and throw her across the room...,'_ he thought absently. They reached the door and he opened it for her. He gave her a small, polite bow as she exited the room. Once she had turned the corner out of sight he went back inside the office and shut the door.

He sank back down into the leather office chair. His search was over. He had found another that shared his gift. He could teach her. He could help her learn how to control her ability. He could teach her how to control her power and how to fight. He thought of Frost. In his mind, he had failed Frost. He wasn't able to instill in her a sense of humility. He had tried so hard to get her to see reason and to embrace the values he had come to abide by. Try as he might, he couldn't make Frost understand. It still pained him. It haunted his sleep at night. It would be different this time. It had to be. He needed it to be.

Sub Zero ran his hands through his hair. His mind was going a mile a minute. He needed to speak with her master. He had a proposition for him that he hoped he would accept. More importantly, he hoped Wren would accept. In the meantime, he needed to have that talk with Master Wei on how to treat a lady. He rose from his chair and left the room to find him.

End of Chapter 4

**And that my friends is Chapter 4. I hope to have Chapter 5 up in a few days. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. In the next chapter or two there's gonna be more action...I PROMISE! I'm still just getting warmed up, lol. R & R!!! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Just a quick thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this. I hope you are enjoying it so far.**

**Disclaimer: Voodoo doesn't own Mortal Kombat...and she never will! Muwhahahaha!**

"I'll do anything! I'll do whatever you want! Please don't make me go!" Wren felt hot tears welling up in her eyes again. "Whatever I did wrong, I'm sorry!" Wren choked on the last word as a ragged sob worked its way out of her throat.

"Wren..." Master Xiong started gently, "This isn't punishment. This is for your own benefit."

"How is sending her away with someone you don't even know to her benefit!? Who knows what he'll do to her! God only knows what goes on in that place!" Misato's voice sounded strained. She had been crying. Her grandfather planned to send her friend, the closest person she had ever had to a sister, away to stay and train with some mysterious ice ninja. She was furious.

"Misato, please, leave Wren and I alone to talk." Xiong spoke calmly.

"Why should I? What about what Wren wants? Don't you even care?" Misato spat the words out harshly.

Xiong spun around quickly to face Misato. "How dare you imply that I don't care!" Xiong pointed a finger at Wren, who was crumpled in a chair crying quietly into her hands. "It is because I care that I am sending her away! This isn't about what she wants! This is about what she needs...and she needs to be with someone who can properly teach her the things she needs to know!"

Misato stared at her grandfather. They had been arguing about this for the past two days and she still couldn't believe what she was hearing. For as long as she could remember, her grandfather had wanted to keep Wren as far away from the Lin Kuei as humanly possible. Now, he had actually agreed to allow the Grandmaster to take her with him when he left to return back to their headquarters. Misato was still in shock.

Xiong had regained his composure. "Misato...please...let Wren and I speak in private."

Misato glanced at her friend who was sitting in a large recliner, he knees pulled up to her chest, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Misato opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind. She dropped her gaze to the floor, spun on her heel, and left the room.

"Wren..." Xiong made his way to the girl and sat down gingerly on the armrest of the recliner. He stroked the girls head affectionately. "I want you to understand. I am doing this for you. I would love nothing more than for you to remain here with us...but there is much I can't teach you that he can. There are so many things you need to learn. I'm an old man, Wren. I'm not going to live forever. Before I leave this life, I want to know that you are taken care of..." Xiong's voice trailed off.

Wren sniffed and looked up at the man. "I've already lost my family once. You and Misato are the only family I have...I don't want to leave you. I don't want to go with him. Please..." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Wren, we'll always be a family...always. I'm not doing this to hurt you. I just want whats best for you. Please, Wren, give this a chance." Xiong looked at the girl hopefully.

Before Wren could open her mouth to answer, there was a sharp knock on the door. Wren's stomach lurched as Xiong got up to answer it. She did her best to try stop the fresh tears that threatened to fall from her eyes and compose herself.

Misato had reached the door first and was staring daggers through the man standing on the step. _'So, this is the great Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei',_ she thought to herself. She hoped he could feel the intense hatred she had for him at that moment. She wanted to punch him in the face. Xiong came up behind her and gently pushed her out of the way.

"Grandmaster." Xiong bowed respectfully. "I wasn't expecting you so soon."

Sub Zero returned Xiong's bow. "I thought it best that we move this along swiftly so as to make the transition as easy as possible." Sub Zero felt Misato's heated stare burning into his back and turned to face her. "This must be your granddaughter." He gave the girl a polite bow. She snarled at him and stormed out of the room. He watched her go.

"Ah, she is rather upset about Wren leaving. She's normally much more hospitable." Xiong explained.

"I understand." Sub Zero turned to face Xiong. "Where is Wren?"

"She's just in the next room. Please, this way." Xiong led Sub Zero to a small sitting room.

Wren looked up as a shadow fell across the doorway. Master Xiong was standing there with Sub Zero towering behind him. She looked from Master Xiong's face, full of pleading and hope, to the Grandmaster's, which was unreadable, before dropping her eyes back to her lap. She didn't want to go with him. She wanted to stay here, with her family.

She had been terrified to actually meet him as she had heard so many frightening things about the Lin Kuei growing up. She had half expected him to be some sort of ravenous monster. She had been surprised to see a normal, rather attractive looking human being looking at her from across the desk. The meeting hadn't been traumatic as she thought it would be. He had seemed pleased with her. She had left the meeting with a feeling of curiosity. She had wondered what would come of it, but she had definitely not been expecting to be separated from the only family she knew. She found herself hoping that this was all some terrible dream that she would be waking up from soon.

Sub Zero watched Wren from the doorway. He was immediately able to determine two things: She was definitely not happy to see him and she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her hair, which had been pulled back so neatly a couple days before, now hung disheveled around her face and shoulders. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps. She looked absolutely miserable. He wondered if he was doing the right thing by taking her with him. He thought again of when he was separated from his own mother. He had been taken away from everything he had ever known and thrust into a world that he didn't even know existed. He felt a sharp pang of guilt in his gut as he was now the one separating this young woman from the life she knew. Although he knew that he may regret his actions later, he still felt a compelling need to go forward and see what might become of the situation.

"Wren?" Xiong moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "The Grandmaster is here."

"I can see that." Wren said, barely audible.

"Umm..sir, perhaps you can give me a moment alone with Wren?" Xiong looked from Wren to Sub Zero.

"Of course." Sub Zero nodded and backed out of the room.

Xiong looked back down at Wren. "Wren..." He hooked the girl under her arm and pulled her to a standing position in front of him. "Listen...look at me!" Xiong cupped her chin in his hand and made her look him in the eye. "Its time for you to go. This will be what you make it to be. Good or Bad. He is your teacher now, your master, your sifu." Wren's gaze shifted back toward the floor. "Look at me!" Xiong forced her into eye contact once more. "You will respect him as you have respected me. You will do as he says to do. You will listen and you will learn. You will work hard for him as you have for me. You will be a devoted student. Do you understand?"

Wren nodded slowly, swallowing the lump that was forming in her throat.

"Good. Now come, he's waiting for you." Xiong led Wren back out to the front room where Sub Zero stood patiently waiting.

"Grandmaster, I believe she is ready to go."

Sub Zero turned to Wren. "Do you have your things?" Wren nodded and motioned toward a bag that Xiong had made her pack the day before. Sub Zero picked up her bag and turned back to Xiong. "I promise that I'll take good care of her."

Xiong had the slighest glint of tears in his eyes. "I know you will, Grandmaster." Xiong stepped forward and embraced Wren for the last time and then watched as Sub Zero gently nudged her out the door and guided her to the waiting car. "I know you will..." He said again as he watched the car disappear from sight.

End of Chapter 5

**Oooh...and they're off!!! I'm gonna try to post the next two chapters this weekend. Time permitting. )**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: YAY! It's the weekend and I finally have the time to update!!! I hope you guys are liking the story so far. Feel free to criticize! I don't mind at all!**

**Disclaimer: I hate to break it to you guys, but, believe it or not...I don't own Mortal Kombat, lol.**

The trip back to the frozen temple which served as the Lin Kuei headquarters was a long and silent one. The girl had dismissed every attempt Sub Zero had made at conversation. She had limited her end of the conversation to head nods and yes or no answers. Sub Zero, while himself rather reserved by nature, found her lack of interaction with him slightly disheartening. He had hoped she would have been more receptive. This was not turning out how he had envisioned at all.

She had been cried quietly for about the first thirty minutes. This had made Sub Zero extremely uncomfortable. He wanted to comfort her somehow. He wanted to assure her that everything would be fine, but had no idea how to go about it without making the situation worse than what it was. At a loss, he forced himself to ignore the muffled sobs coming from the woman beside him. As her sobs gave way to sniffling and ragged breathing, he seized the chance to look at her.

Her dark blond hair was a mess. Her green eyes were red rimmed from crying and her otherwise lovely face was tear streaked. She looked defeated, as if she had resigned herself to whatever was going to happen. The miserable look on her face caused and ache to form in his chest and a lump in his throat. No, this is definitely not how he wanted this to be. He felt had to say something just to fill the silence.

"Wren..." he started, "I have called ahead and made arrangements for our arrival. I am sure that you will find your quarters to be quite comfortable." Sub Zero inwardly cringed at his attempt to make small talk with the woman. _'Like she gives a damn...,_' he thought.

He tried again. "I have also arranged for one of our senior recruits to help you get settled in. I was thinking that after you get familiar with your new surroundings that we could begin your training. Does that sound alright to you?" Wren only nodded her head in acknowledgment. _'Please let us arrive soon...I'm not sure how long I can stand this..._', Sub Zero thought, knowing that there was still a very long way to go.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They had been trudging through the snow next to each other for some time. Modern transportation could only get them so far in the harsh, arctic environment before they were forced to walk. The sun had set long ago. The only light came from the moon reflecting off the endless sheet of snow and ice. The frigid wind cut through Wren like a knife. She had never been so cold in her entire life. As frozen as she felt, she had to admit, it didn't feel entirely bad. In fact, she found it rather invigorating.

She looked at the man walking slightly in front of and to the side of her. '_He_ _doesn't seem to mind the cold at all...seems to be enjoying himself. Sub Zero...the name suits him...'_ she thought absently. Her legs, however, were beginning to feel heavy and her clothing was becoming wet from melting snow.

"Are we there yet?" she asked suddenly using her best impression of a whiny five year old.

Sub Zero looked back over his shoulder. "Almost."

"Thats what you said when I asked you twenty minutes ago! We've been wandering around out here for almost an hour. It's freaking cold out here! " Wading through the knee deep snow was beginning to make Wren feel exhausted and very cranky.

Sub Zero couldn't help but laugh. _'At least she's talking'_, he thought to himself. Sub Zero glanced over his shoulder at Wren once more. "It's just over the next ridge...I promise."

The Lin Kuei headquarters came into view, just as promised, as they reached the top of the ridge. Wren stopped dead in her tracks. The place was huge. It overwhelmed her senses. How someone had managed to hide such a large structure out here amazed her. She hadn't even realized that Sub Zero had already started down the embankment toward the gate until he called back up to her.

"Are you planning on spending the night out here or are you going to come inside?!" Sub Zero laughed inwardly at the look of awe on her face. He remembered he had felt nearly the same the first time he had laid eyes on this particular temple. He had almost felt as if it were calling to him, beckoning him to make it his domain. It was then that he had decided that it would be the perfect place for the Lin Kuei to live and train. It was home.

Wren stumbled down the snowbank. She slid on a patch of hidden ice near the bottom, almost colliding with Sub Zero. His arm shot out grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to him to steady her before she could land face first in another snow drift.

"Thanks." Wren mumbled, a little embarrassed.

"You'll need to be more careful." Sub Zero said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Lets get inside. I'm sure you're eager to be out of the snow." He turned sharply on his heel and continued toward the gate. Wren followed close behind.

As they approached the gate a voice from somewhere above them called out, "Grandmaster Sub Zero has returned...OPEN THE GATE!"

"OPEN THE GATE!" echoed another voice.

Slowly, the gate creaked open allowing Sub Zero and Wren to enter. Wren was grateful for the warmth that greeted her as she stepped inside. She found herself in a large chamber with three very long hallways leading off in different directions. Sub Zero had already started down the hallway to the left motioning for Wren to come with him. He led her down first one hallway and then another. Wren had completely lost track of where she was through all the twists and turns.

_'There goes my escape plan,'_ she thought to herself. _'I'll never find my way out of here...'_

Sub Zero stopped suddenly in front of a door and turned to face her. "Here we are. This is where you will be staying. I took the liberty of pairing you with Delilah. She will see to it that you are settled and show you around. She's been here for quite some time and will be able to answer any questions you might have." He knocked on the heavy wooden door.

The door opened to reveal a very boyish looking, tall, slim woman. She had a very angular face, a slightly hooked nose, and thin lips. Her short black hair stuck out in soft spikes all over her head and curled softly just over her ears. She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand as she stepped out into the hallway.

"Delilah, this is Wren. Wren, this is Delilah." Sub Zero made introductions. "I'm sure you're tired from our little hike so I'll leave you to get settled. Delilah will see to it that you have everything that you need. If there is anything that I may do for you, you may find me in my private quarters. Take this hallway all the way to the end, then right. Get some rest and we will talk later." Sub Zero turned and headed in the direction he had indicated lead to his private rooms leaving Wren standing in the hallway with Delilah.

Delilah stretched and flashed Wren a toothy smile. "Nice to meet ya roomie! C'mon in! You look exhausted. Why don't you get some sleep and I'll give you the low down on this place in the morning." Delilah patted her on the shoulder.

Wren followed Delilah into the room. Sleep sounded heavenly to her right now. She was completely exhausted. She was relieved that the trip was finally over. Her dread now focused on what was to happen next. She shut the door behind her and collapsed onto the bed that Delilah had indicated was hers and prompty fell into a dreamless asleep.

End of Chapter 6

**YAY! They made it. Wren really doesn't travel well, lol. She really needs to suck it up! I'm gonna get the next chapter up later today...hopefully...if my computer cooperates.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I've been super duper busy. So, without further ado…here's Chapter 7!!!**

**Disclaimer: You guys know I don't own any of this…**

Sub Zero quickly made his way to his private quarters. His thoughts were with the young woman he had brought home with him. He hoped that his decision to bring Wren with him had been the right one. She hadn't been at all pleased with the situation or with him for that matter. He knew he would have to tread lightly if this arrangement was going to work. It had to work.

Sub Zero stopped short in front of a door just before the entrance to his private rooms. An all too familiar lump formed in his throat and an aching in his chest. Carefully, he reached a hand out and gently stroked the wooden surface. How many times had he stood here contemplating where he had gone wrong? Was there anything different he could have said or done that would have made a difference? How could he have failed Frost so miserably? He still felt that in the end he had been the one responsible for the decisions she had made.

He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. Flipping on the light as he stepped into the room, he looked around him. No one had disturbed the room since Frost disappeared. He hadn't allowed anyone in here to dispose of her things, just in case. Somewhere, in the farthest corner of his mind, he held out hope that one day she would see reason and come home. The more realistic portion of his brain told him that the possibility of that happening was very slim at best given the circumstances of her absence. Even if she were to return, things could never return to the way they were before. He knew this.

"Best not to think of such things now." he said to himself. He sighed as he flipped the lights back off and exited the room, shutting the door behind him. As he continued on into his quarters, his thoughts once again turned to his new pupil. For the first time in a long time, he felt the tiniest glimmer of hope as the slightest smile came to his lips.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wren awoke to the sound of running water. Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her entire body ached. Their hike through the knee deep snow apparently hadn't agreed with her. Her muscles protested as she rose from the bed and stretched out as much as possible.

"Good morning!" Wren spun around at the sound of the voice coming face to face with a very chipper looking woman exiting the bathroom.

"It was late when you came in. I was half asleep. We weren't properly introduced. I'm Delilah, but you can call me Del." The woman gave Wren a grin and extended her hand to shake.

"I'm Wren." Wren accepted that hand offered to her and shook it. "It's nice to meet you."

"So.. you're a cryomancer?" Del asked inquisitively.

"I'm a what?" Wren looked confused.

"Umm, you know. You can make ice and stuff. Cryomancing, that's what the Grandmaster calls it."

"Uh, yeah, I guess so." Wren swallowed nervously.

Del chuckled. "You don't sound very convinced."

"I mean yeah, but I really don't know much about it." Wren frowned.

"Well, then you're in the right place to learn." Del clapped Wren on the back. "The Grandmaster can teach you everything you need to know…Hey, are you alright?" Del's jovial attitude turned into one of concern as she watched Wren's eyes fill up with tears.

"Yes, no, I don't know. Is it too soon for me to be home sick?" Wren wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"You really don't want to be here do you?" Del wrapped an arm around Wren's shoulders. "It's really not a bad place once you get used to it."

Wren managed a weak smile. "I'll be ok. I guess I'm still just getting over the shock of being here. It happened really fast. I'm still not entirely sure what happened."

"I believe it. The Grandmaster doesn't like to waste any time." Del laughed. "I'm surprised he doesn't have you down in the gym doing taolu already. Speaking of the gym, why don't you get cleaned up and we'll grab some breakfast and I'll give you the grand tour. Besides, everyone is dying to get a look at you." Del laughed again.

End of Chapter 7

**I know this chapter is kind of short, but the next one is going to be a little on the long side. As always, I hope you are enjoying the story. If there is anything you would like to see or you have any suggestions just drop me a line. R&R!!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Updating has sort of slowed to a crawl. I've had a serious case of writer's block that I am slowly getting over. I would like to thank ItsBeenLovelyButIHave2Scream, NinjaStalker, and Lovely-shadow for their reviews. If those of you reading this haven't read any of the stuff they have wrote...DO IT!!! I have and they are awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I love lawyers! Please don't sue me...'cause I own nothing!**

The dining hall was huge and filled with people talking and eating. Wren took the tray of food Del had presented her with and allowed her to lead her through the maze of tables. Wren was uncomfortable to say the least. As she followed Del, she felt eyes roaming her body and heard people talking in hushed whispers as she walked by. Hunching her shoulders and trying to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible she continued to trail Del though the sea of people.

"Here we go." Del said cheerfully as she stopped in front of a vacant table. "We'll sit over here in the corner where we can see everything."

"Sounds good to me." Wren replied. She was grateful that Del hadn't sat them in the middle of the room for all to gawk at. "I don't think I could stand being stared at all through breakfast. What's wrong with these people?"

Del rolled her eyes. "Ignore them. They're just curious. They want to know if you are anything like Frost."

"Who's..."

"Hey! Would you look at that! " Del cut Wren off. "He hasn't been down here in a long time...well...since Frost disappeared anyways." Del motioned toward the entrance to the dining hall, where a very official looking Sub Zero was making his way toward a table full of very important looking men. They all stood excitedly and greeted him as he took his place at the head of the table.

Wren watched as Sub Zero listened intently to whatever the other men were saying to him. She thought he looked regal. He radiated an aura of power which spread out through the entire expanse of the dining area. Now that she had the chance to look at him without the distraction of having his intense gaze fixed on her, she decided that he was indeed a very attractive man, despite the fact that she was trying her best to despise him for taking her from her family.

Almost as if he sensed her looking at him, Sub Zero turned slightly in her direction and locked his gaze onto hers from across the room, causing Wren to jump slightly with the unexpectedness of it. Time seemed to slow he regarded her steadily, his eyes never leaving hers, before giving her a polite nod and turning back to his breakfast and the other men at the table.

"Wren? Wren??? WREN?!" Del lightly punched Wren in the shoulder.

"Huh? What?" Wren's attention snapped back to the woman sitting beside her.

Del chuckled. " I asked if you were going to eat your toast."

"Oh...no...you can have it if you want."

"Thank you much!" Del took the offered slice.

Wren stared at her plate absently picking at a piece of bacon. She ventured a glance back in Sub Zero's direction. He sat there calmly with his head tilted to one side as another man gestured animatedly at him as he spoke. Sub Zero would only nod occasionally either in acknowledgment or agreement to whatever was being said. Wren watched for a bit longer before shoving a fork full of eggs into her mouth.

"Hey Del?" Wren took a swallow of her juice.

"Yes'm?" Del said through a mouth full of muffin.

"Who's Frost?"

"Oh...umm..." Del swallowed the muffin she was chewing on. "Well...she was..."

"A frigid bitch?" A masculine voice offered.

"The epitome of all that is evil?" Offered another.

Del laughed. "Not exactly the words I was going to use. Wren, this is Dai and Ahiga."

"Nice to meet you Wren." Ahiga offered his hand to shake as he sat down opposite her.

"Wren." Dai acknowledged her with a polite bow before he too sat down on the opposite side of the table next to Ahiga.

"May I ask why you are discussing Frost?" Ahiga asked Del with an eyebrow cocked.

"It just came up in conversation, thats all." Del smiled at Ahiga.

"Nice subject...Frost..." Dai shuddered.

"Am I missing something?" Wren was genuinely curious now.

Del and the others leaned toward the middle of the table motioning for Wren to do the same as if what they were about to say was top secret. Del began, "Frost was the Grandmaster's student before you, Wren."

"Oh...well, where is she?" Wren sat up a little and glanced around the room.

Del grabbed her arm and pulled her back down. "She's not here anymore."

"Where is she?"

"Gone." Ahiga answered.

"Gone where?" Wren was becoming more interested.

"We don't know." Dai was speaking. "She and the Grandmaster left together on some sort of mission. He came back. She didn't. I think that the Grandmaster finally got tired of her crap and put her out of her misery."

"You mean he killed her?" Wren's eyes became wide with alarm.

"Dai, shut up." Ahiga elbowed him in the side. "The Grandmaster hasn't killed anyone...I mean...well, he has killed people...but he didn't kill Frost."

"Oh yeah? How do you know, Ahiga?" Dai elbowed him back. "Were you there? I'm surprised he put up with her as long as he did. She was trouble from the first day she came through the front gate. I wouldn't blame him if he did kill her."

"Well, he didn't. She was his pride and joy. His star student. He would never..."

"He could have..."

"No."

"Maybe..."

"Guys!" Del interrupted their debate effectively hushing them both. "I swear...I have to agree with Ahiga." Del looked at Wren. "The Grandmaster didn't kill her. Something happened, thats for certain. We just don't know what. All we know is that they both left and he was the only one that came back."

"Whatever it was really upset him." Ahiga added. "I was actually shocked to see him in here this morning. He hasn't eaten in here since he came back. No one saw him for days right after he returned. He stayed in his private quarters. He wouldn't come out."

"He was probably getting drunk and celebrating her demise." Dai laughed to himself.

"Dai!" Del and Ahiga said at the same time.

"Stop talking like that before you scare Wren off." Del scolded. "You are so immature."

"I take it you guys didn't think too highly of her." Wren wanted to know what could have caused so much dislike for the woman they called Frost.

Ahiga thought for a moment. "She was a very...difficult person to like."

"She was nasty and rude and hateful and coniving and deceitful..."

"Dai!" Ahiga and Del cut him off once again.

Dai shrugged. "Well, she was. Tell me I'm wrong."

Del rolled her eyes. "She had a bit of a superiority complex. She thought she was above and beyond everyone here...even the Grandmaster. He would get so frustrated with her and her attitude. She treated everyone here like dirt."

"All I can say is good riddance. I am glad she's gone. Life is good." Dai stated matter of factly before he downed the last bit of juice in his glass. "Now if you all will excuse me, I have to go relieve one of the guards at the front gate. It was nice to meet you Wren." Dai stood and left the table.

"Hey, we better get going too before they start to think we're over here conspiring or something." Ahiga gave Wren a wink.

"You're right." Del agreed. "I still have to give Wren the grand tour of the place. Right, Wren?" Del smiled at her.

"You did promise." Wren managed to shoot a friendly smile back at Del.

"Lets get going then. This place is huge. We'll see you later Ahiga." Del snagged Wren by the arm and started towards the door on the other side of the room.

"See you later ladies." Ahiga called after them before standing and heading in the opposite direction.

As Wren followed Del she glanced back at the table where Sub Zero sat. He was gazing back at her curiously, ignoring the other men chatting around him. No doubt he was wondering what the four of them had been huddled together discussing at their table. She wondered if the subject of his former student was off limits. She was curious by nature and the mystery of what may or may not have happened to Frost was tantalizing. All of Wren's other thoughts were cut off short as Del ushered her out into the never ending hallway and cheerfully began her tour.

End of Chapter 8

**There you have chapter 8. I hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review. Chapter 9 will be up soon (I promise!). **


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Two chapters in one day?!?! Go me!!! **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Mortal Kombat I wouldn't be writing fan fiction.**

Sub Zero sat at his table largely ignoring the banter of the men sitting around him. His attention was instead focused on the table across the room where his newest addition sat listening intently to the conversation that was taking place around her. Whatever they were talking about, Wren was obviously very interested. A look of alarm crossed Wren's features on a couple of occasions which in turn caused him to grip the arms of his chair to keep from getting up and stalking across the room to put an end to their discussion. He didn't want them filling her head with horror stories of the Lin Kuei or himself. Whatever relationship he had with Wren right now was still too fresh and too fragile and he didn't need them damaging it before he had a chance to even cultivate it. Much to his relief, Del appeared to smooth over whatever had caused Wren's apprehension with relative ease.

He watched as Del and Wren stood and said their goodbyes to Ahiga and made their way to the door. Wren caught his eye for just a moment before Del ushered her out the door and into the hall. Excusing himself from the table, he decided to follow the duo at a distance. As a young assassin he had learned that to be more effective and efficient (and lethal) it helped to know all you could about your target. He supposed that observing Wren may have the same benefits in helping him better understand the best way to handle her.

"Del, I just want you to know that I am so lost right now." Wren giggled. "I think the Grandmaster needs to put those little 'You Are Here' maps up in this place. Like the ones they have in the mall."

Del laughed. She was really beginning to like Wren. "I stayed lost for like the first two months I was here. The first time I tried to find my way back to my room by myself I got so lost that I just wandered the halls for almost three hours...until one of the roving watch commanders found me and escorted me back. It was so embarrassing."

"Gee thanks for sharing that story. That makes me feel so much better. It really boosted my confidence." Wren snorted with laughter.

"Anytime." Del laughed. "Ah...here's one of the entrances to the courtyard. They do a lot of practicing outside when the weather permits. Lets go see if there's anyone out there. Some of the weapons training that goes on out there is really fun to watch." Del pushed the door open and stepped outside, Wren followed.

In the center of the courtyard a group of about twenty young men stood gathered around an older man dressed in gray who was trying to explain something to them. Wren watched as he picked two out of the crowd to spar with each other in order to demonstrate some kind of technique. Wren stood there fascinated as she watched the two men duck and dodge each other's attacks. They executed their moves with calculated precision as the man in gray observed.

"Thats Master Smoke." Del informed Wren. "He and the Grandmaster go way back. He does a lot of the hand to hand training of the more advanced recruits. He's really good."

"Oh..."

"C'mon. Lets get a closer look." Del tugged Wren along behind her as she made her way toward the group.

Sub Zero stood quietly by the courtyard door. He had followed Del and Wren throughout the entire tour of the temple and they hadn't even noticed. They had been too caught up in their own conversation to realize they were being followed. He made a mental note to himself that he needed to teach Wren to be more observant of her surroundings, but there would be plenty of time for that later.

He was extremely pleased to see that Wren had begun to open up a little to Del. They had even shared a few laughs, a couple at his expense, but he didn't mind. From what he had observed, Wren was very witty and had an excellent sense of humor. There was no mention of whatever they had talked about at breakfast and Wren seemed very much at ease allowing Del to guide her down the endless maze of hallways. He hoped that Wren would be as comfortable with him by the time he began their training sessions in earnest.

He watched amused as Del pulled a reluctant looking Wren toward the training group that was gathered in the middle of the courtyard. Deciding to get a closer look himself, he silently followed finding himself a suitable place where he could observe the action and not attract any attention. _'I'm sneaking around the my own temple spying on my own student. What's wrong with this picture?'_ Sub Zero laughed silently at himself.

Upon noticing the approach of the two women, Smoke called a halt to the sparring match that was in progress. Parting the crowd, he approached the two.

"Good morning Delilah."

Del bowed and nudged Wren in the ribs to do the same. "Good morning Master Smoke."

"Who is this you bring with you this morning?" Smoke looked Wren up and down making her feel slightly uncomfortable.

"This is Wren. She is the Grandmaster's new student. She just got in last night. I was just showing her around."

"Oh yes. Wren...It is nice to finally put a face to the name. Sub Zero and I had a very long, in depth discussion about you prior to your arrival." Smoke had begun to slowly circle around Wren, as if appraising her. "He seems to believe that you possess a great amount of potential." He stopped his circling and looked Wren in the eye. "I hope he's correct." A couple of the senior recruits behind him chuckled.

Smoke turned towards his students. "Is there something amusing?"

The students sobered. "No Master!"

"Good." Smoke, who had noticed Sub Zero observing from a distance, turned back toward Wren with a sly grin on his face. "I have a wonderful idea. Perhaps you could help us with our little demonstration this morning. We have been discussing the importance of not underestimating your opponent. It would be ideal since none have ever sparred against you and have no clue as to your fighting style or abilities."

"Umm...I'd rather not..." Wren gulped nervously.

Smoke grabbed Wren by her upper arm. "That wasn't a request." He pushed her into the center of the circle.

Del looked on horrified. "Oh my God...the Grandmaster is gonna kill me."

End of Chapter 9

**OH NO!!! I hope Wren doesn't get her butt kicked on her first official day at the Lin Kuei Temple. Who knows...maybe Sub Zero will come out of hiding and save her. I haven't decided yet, lol. Anyways...I hope you're enjoying the story...please R & R. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Nothing has changed. I still don't own Mortal Kombat.**

_'What the hell is he doing?!' _Sub Zero thought as his eyebrows went up in alarm as he watched his friend, Smoke, shove Wren into the middle of the group of recruits. He watched Smoke pick his best student out of the crowd to challenge Wren. Deciding that he needed to put an end to the display before it got out of hand, Sub Zero came out from his hiding spot and strode gracefully across the courtyard towards his friend.

"NOW LISTEN UP!" Smoke commanded the attention of his students. "Since you are all so familiar with fighting each other and know each other's moves by heart, our new friend Wren here has offered to help me illustrate my lesson this morning." Smoke looked over his shoulder at Wren who looked as if she were about to throw up. "Bijan, you will spar with her. Come forward."

"Yes, Master." Bijan entered the circle and stood opposite Wren. "Are you sure she's up to it Master? She looks a little green." There was laughter from the other recruits.

"QUIET!" Smoke hushed the crowd.

"SMOKE!" Smoke turned to see a very angry looking Sub Zero stalking toward him. Sub Zero seized him roughly by the arm and pulled him away from the training group.

"Well good morning to you too."

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Sub Zero demanded.

"I am training my students, as I do every morning." Smoke's voice sounded slightly amused.

"Not using her as a prop, you're not." Sub Zero started back toward the group with every intention of dragging Wren, and Del who was standing on the sidelines looking completely mortified, back inside temple when Smoke grabbed him by the shoulder causing him to turn back around.

"What!?" Sub Zero snapped.

"May I inquire as to why she shouldn't be allowed to participate in this demonstration?"

Sub Zero glared back at his friend. "Because I say she isn't ready."

"Have you even seen her fight?" Smoke questioned.

Sub Zero let out an exasperated sigh. "No, I haven't. Which is all the more reason why she doesn't need to be subjected to this kind of display."

"You mean to tell me, that you, Sub Zero, Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, brought this girl here to train without even seeing her throw a punch?" Smoke's voice sounded even more amused.

"You know why I brought her here." Sub Zero's anger had lost it's edge.

"Well...I will admit, she is very attractive...maybe a little young, but if she makes you happy..."

"Smoke..." Irritation was creeping back into Sub Zero's voice.

Smoke laughed. "I'm just kidding. I know why you brought her here." Smoke thought for a moment. "You know, eventually, you are going to have to see what she can do. Why not now? It's the perfect opportunity for you to observe. Besides, you said Xiong taught her right?"

Sub Zero swallowed hard. "Right."

"Well then, you shouldn't have anything to worry about." Smoke slapped Sub Zero on the back. "Xiong was a deadly opponent in his day...deadly enough for the gods to choose him to help represent Earth Realm in Mortal Kombat. I'm sure he would have passed down his skills to the younger generation. Aren't you the least bit curious to see her in action?"

"She looks ill..." Sub Zero observed.

"It's just nerves...she'll be fine. They all come in here a bundle of nerves. You know that. Now, may we proceed?" Smoke motioned hopefully back toward the waiting group of recruits.

Sighing, Sub Zero nodded in agreement and slowly accompanied Smoke back to the training group.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Don't worry Beautiful, I won't mess up that pretty face...too bad." Bijan laughed.

Wren just glared at him not even blinking. Her stomach churned threatening to bring her breakfast back up. Her mind was in overdrive. She was trying her best to remember the lessons that Master Xiong had taught her. She wished now that she had paid more attention to his lessons on the art of proper hand to hand combat instead of goofing off with Misato. She had never fancied hand to hand martial arts. She much preferred the weight of a sword in her hand, it gave her a sense of reassurance and confidence. She felt naked when she fought without her jian. Oh, how she wished she had brought it with her now.

_'Ok Wren...' _she thought to herself. _'You're fine...you can do this...Just look at him. He's full of himself. Remember what Master Xiong used to say about overconfidence...it can spell your death...You have to think slow and move fast, thats all...Use his confidence against him...Breathe...Neutralize your opponent as quickly as possible, remove the threat...Relax, you're fine...God I hope he doesn't kick my ass...' _

She glanced off to the side and watched Smoke and Sub Zero debate with each other. She got her hopes up slightly when she saw the Grandmaster start toward the group, only to have them dashed when Smoke stopped him and resumed their discussion. There appeared to be no way out of this situation other than to fight the man standing before her and hope that he didn't bust her up too bad. Wren sighed.

"Hey Snowflake...I'm talking to you." Bijan kicked a bit of the fine white powder covering the ground at Wren.

Wren looked back toward Bijan to see him smirking at her. _'Cocky bastard.' _she thought. At the same time Smoke and Sub Zero rejoined the group. Judging by the pleased look on Smoke's face, Wren figured that the sparring match was still on, much to her dismay.

"ALRIGHT PEOPLE. LET'S DO THIS!" Smoke bellowed to his students causing Wren to jump slightly. Wren looked to Sub Zero who was standing at Smoke's side. His face was unreadable, but his intense gaze was fastened on to her. Wren took a shuddering breath and turned back toward Bijan.

"Bow to your teacher..." Smoke began. "Now...bow to each other."

"I hope I don't humiliate you too bad in front of your new Sifu." Bijan said under his breath just loud enough for Wren to hear as they bowed to each other.

_'I guess we'll see...asshole...' _Wren thought. She watched as Bijan made a big production of assuming his fighting stance. _'Show off...' _Wren rolled her eyes. As she thought back to all the lessons Master Xiong had taught her, an idea popped into her head. _'If he wants to think he's so much better than me, then I'll let him.' _A wicked grin on her face, Wren unceremoniously crouched into the sloppiest defense pose she could and still somewhat properly defend herself.

Bijan snorted at Wren's awkward looking stance. "Well...this should be quick."

"Yes, it should be." Wren agreed as she clumsily blocked the first swing Bijan made at her head.

"Perhaps I was mistaken..." Smoke watched the girl barely get out of the way as Bijan made another leaping kick that almost contacted with her face. "Maybe I should intervene?"

Sub Zero was still watching her with intensity. "No, Smoke, let them continue."

"First you don't want her fighting. Now she is obviously outclassed and you want her to continue? She hasn't even attempted to fight back. All she has done is block and dodge...very badly I might add." Smoke was becoming as worried about the girl fighting as Sub Zero had been earlier. He thought their roll reversal to be rather ironic seeing as how he was the one who had pushed the issue in the first place.

"I don't believe that she is outclassed." Sub Zero said with growing confidence. He believed he had a pretty good idea of what was going on in Wren's head.

"You are watching the same fight I am?" Smoke looked at his friend

Sub Zero grinned at Smoke. "She's figured out that Bijan is arrogant and overconfident. She's manipulating him. He thinks this is going to be an easy win." Sub Zero watched Wren duck under another of Bijan's punches right at the last second.

"Well, it certainly looks that way." Smoke was still debating whether or not to call a halt to the sparring match.

"Just watch." Sub Zero let out an amused chuckle. "I am beginning to believe that you couldn't have chosen a better person to help illustrate your point."

Wren was beginning to grow tired of this little game. They had been fighting for about twenty minutes. It was time to put an end to this. Bijan threw another punch at her face. _'He is determined as hell to hit me in the face...'_ Wren smiled inwardly to herself. She waited for the gap in his defense she knew was coming, the one that would give her unfettered access to **his** face.

Bijan dropped his arms slightly and prepared to launch himself into his next high attack. No sooner had he done that, he felt his nose explode. The punch was hard enough to make his vision go dim for a moment. He felt a warm, sticky liquid pouring down his face. He stumbled backward, his hands flying to his face. As his vision cleared he saw the girl advancing towards him quickly. Before he realized what was happening, another strong punch was delivered directly to his throat. Gagging and coughing, he bent double trying to suck air in through his mouth.

Wren hesitated a moment. She looked at her hand. Her knuckles were covered with the blood from Bijan's nose. Both of her hands throbbed from the impact of her punches. She watched Bijan gasp and wheeze for a moment. _'Need to finish this before he recovers and kicks my ass_...'

Bijan straightened himself up as best he could and glared at Wren with a murderous look in his eyes. He breath came in wheezing gasps and his entire face throbbed to the beat of his heart. His nose, he was sure, was broken. He was still in shock that she had hit him...twice. As badly as she had defended herself, he hadn't managed to land a hit. This was impossible..._'Bitch made me bleed...' _Bijan looked down at his shirt which was saturated with the blood that ran freely from his nose. A primal growl escaping his damaged throat, he lunged at Wren with the intention of making her bleed also.

Wren had seen this coming before Bijan had ever even moved and she was prepared. She ducked under the wild swing that Bijan threw at her and side stepped away. As Bijan turned toward her, she spun forward putting all of her weight behind a kick that landed squarely in his groin.

All of the color drained from Bijan's face as the pain radiated from his crotch to the rest of his body. He crumpled to the ground, defeated, hands clutching protectively around his throbbing manhood. Wren stood over him, victorious.

Smoke looked incrediously at the man lying on the ground and then at Sub Zero, who was obviously very pleased with the outcome of the match. "What just happened here?"

"You were right, Smoke." Sub Zero slapped his friend on the back. "I had nothing to worry about. I hope that Bijan and the rest learned a valuable lesson today. Now, I think you need to go attend to your student." Sub Zero laughed.

"That was just..." Smoke trailed off and shook his head as he made his way through the crowd of students to see what he could do for Bijan.

Sub Zero made his way to Wren who was now standing at the edge of the crowd with Del. "Delilah..."

"Oh my God, I'm sorry Grandmaster. I wouldn't have even brought her out here if I thought..." Del rambled on apologetically.

Sub Zero held a hand up silencing her. "Delilah, its fine. There is no need to apologize." He looked at Wren, who looked like she was still in a bit of shock. "I want you to take Wren back to your room." He looked at Bijan's blood dried on Wren's hands. "Let her clean up and then bring her to my office. Make it quick."

"Yes Sir." Del and Wren hurried back toward doors leading into the temple.

Sub Zero watched them disappear back inside the building. He felt a sudden surge of pride as he looked back at Bijan who was still on the ground, moaning and holding himself. _'Smart girl...he had that coming.' _There was much he needed to do. He needed to begin Wren's training immediately. He headed back inside toward his office.

End of Chapter 10

**Woohoo! Another chapter posted. A little more action in this one. Sorry it wasn't more detailed...I was a little rushed. Anyways, I hope you guys are enjoying it. R&R and if there is anything I can improve on or that you would like to see more (or less) of let me know!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Do I really have to inform you that I don't own Mortal Kombat??? On with the story!!!**

Sub Zero lounged behind his elegantly carved desk with his legs propped up and absently twirled an ink pen between his agile fingers while he waited for Wren to arrive at his office. He laughed quietly as he thought back to the fight he had just witnessed in the courtyard. The look on Bijan's face when Wren's fist made impact with his nose had been priceless. Sub Zero found himself wishing that he had brought a camera to capture the moment. The look on Wren's face once she realized she had escaped the fight unscathed was equally amusing. With the right guidance and structure, he decided, she would be a definite asset to the Lin Kuei, possibly Earthrealm. As he ran through all the possibilities of what could be, there was a soft knock on his door.

"Come in." Sub Zero put down the pen and straightened himself in his chair as the door cracked open.

Del entered the room nervously with Wren in tow. "Sir..."

"Thank you Delilah. You are excused." Sub Zero dismissed the woman with a wave of his hand. Del gave a curt bow and left the room quickly leaving Wren standing in the middle of the room alone. "Wren, please, have a seat." He motioned towards one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Wren sat down cautiously not knowing what to expect. She dropped her eyes to her lap, not wanting to meet his icy gaze. She was sure that he must be angry with her for what had transpired outside, even though it hadn't been her fault. She felt anxious as he continued to study her, wondering what he was going to say. She closed her eyes momentarily and wished that she was back home, safe and secure, with Misato and Xiong.

Sub Zero cleared his throat causing Wren to jump. Reluctantly, she raised her eyes to meet his. The cold, seething anger she expected to see reflected back at her was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his eyes sparkled with something else. What was it? Was it amusement? Pride even? Wren wasn't sure.

"That was quite a show you put on out there." Sub Zero stared deeply into Wren's eyes from across the desk.

Wren blinked and looked away. "Is...is he ok?" She asked the question quietly before looking back in Sub Zero's direction.

Sub Zero leaned forward, lacing his fingers together on top of the desk, an amused grin on his face. "Well...aside from the broken nose, bruised esophagus, and the possibility that you may have destroyed whatever chance he ever had at fathering children anytime in the near future, he's fine."

Wren nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You did what you had to do. I was impressed." Sub Zero paused for a moment. The temperature in the room suddenly seemed to drop a couple degrees as Sub Zero grew serious. "Wren, I have decided that we will be starting your training as soon as possible. I don't see any reason to delay. I had wanted you to get settled and a bit more comfortable with the routine here first, but after what happened today I feel it would be in the best interest of all involved if we moved ahead. From this point on you will refer to me as Sifu. I alone will be your teacher. I will take on the responsibility of training you myself. In exchange I expect nothing less than your complete committment, best effort, and undivided attention. Nothing less will be tolerated. Are we clear?" Sub Zero settled back in his chair.

Wren swallowed. "Yes sir."

"Yes?" Sub Zero's mood seemed to soften once again. He raised one eyebrow...waiting.

"Yes, s-Sifu." Wren stammered out after realizing what he was waiting for.

He chuckled softly. "Good. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, you will meet me at the entrance to the courtyard where we were today. Be punctual. I do not like to be kept waiting."

"Yes...Sifu." Wren hoped she could find her way back there. She definitely didn't want to upset him by being late.

"Are there any other matters you feel we need to discuss while you have my attention? The accommodations are to your satisfaction?" He was once again contently studying the woman sitting across the desk from him.

"I don't have anything I need to discuss. The accommodations are fine." Wren answered still trying to map out the way to back to the courtyard in her head. She was sure Del would help her find it again. She hoped.

"Very well, then. You may return to your quarters. I will see you bright and early in the morning." Sub Zero gave Wren a subtle smile as he stood to escort her to the door. Once she was gone, he reassumed his relaxed position behind his desk. He propped his legs up and ran his hands through his hair. Excitement fluttered around in his stomach like butterflies. Tomorrow was a new day and a new chance to start over.

At that moment, he realized how badly he had missed having someone there he could pass his knowledge on to. It was more that just the training sessions he missed. It was the connection to another person on a somewhat intimate level that he craved. It was the bond between student and teacher. It had hurt him more than he could begin to express when Frost had severed that bond by trying to steal his medallion in order to increase her own power. No words could describe the absolute horror he had felt when he thought she had succeeded in freezing herself to death. He was sure the anguish was going to kill him. He had blamed himself almost to the point of being suicidal. The guilt he felt over what she had done was that unbearable.

That sorrow, however, was nothing compared to the pain unleashed upon him when he discovered Frost to be very much alive. The realization that all they had shared and had meant to each other had been a lie on her part, came crashing down upon him. He remembered her beautiful face, once radiant, twisted full of rage and hate, as she revealed her true agenda. Her lips, upon which he had placed icy kisses on more than one occasion, pulled into a vicious sneer as she vowed to see him dead and claim the Lin Kuei as her own. Then, before he could even open his mouth to beg her to think about what she was doing, she was gone. Gone, but definitely not forgotten.

Sub Zero shook his head to try to rid himself of the memories. He needed to look ahead, not back. Frost was lost to him, there was no sense dwelling on it. Wren, on the other hand, was quite within his reach. He could see the potential for greatness within her. Master Xiong had instilled within her a solid foundation upon which he could build, something Frost had lacked. Any apprehension he had felt for bringing Wren home with him was slowly melting away to be replaced with anticipation. He hoped the rest of the day would pass quickly. He was eager to get started.

End of Chapter 11

**Okie dokie peoples, there you have chapter 11. I may not get a chance to update for a week or two. I just wanted you guys to know what went down after the little fight in the courtyard before I disappear, lol. Anyways, I hope you are enjoying this and HOPEFULLY, I'll be able to get back to this story more sooner than later. Happy Reading! SEE YA!!!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: I'm back sooner than I expected...I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. Anyways, since I have no life I may as well update this little saga. So...here ya go! Please R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I own nada.**

'_Where the hell am I? I am so lost. I'm gonna be late. He is gonna be so mad.' _Wren had been wandering the halls in the general direction of where she thought the courtyard should be for the past twenty minutes. Wren had been proud of herself up until this point. She had gotten up extra early to make sure she would have plenty of time to get ready and find where she needed to be. She had managed to find her way to the dining hall all by herself with little effort. She ate breakfast quickly, avoiding the curious stares of others, with every intention of being on time for her first training session with her new sifu. Not that it mattered now, because as far as she could tell, she was hopelessly lost.

"So much for being on time." Wren muttered to herself as she turned down yet another cooridor. "The architect should be hunted down and shot." Wren paused as she came up to a junction. "Left or right?" She looked both ways. They looked exactly the same. She sighed and shook her head. "Lucky left, I guess." She headed left and hoped for the best.

Wren turned the corner at the end of the hallway quickly only to slam hard into someone blocking her way, nearly losing her balance. Two large, cold hands gripped her upper arms firmly, steadying her. She suddenly found herself staring into someone's broad, well-muscled chest. She let her eyes slowly drift upward over the black and blue clad body until she met the eyes of her sifu staring back down at her from over his mask.

"I was starting to think I was going to have to form a search party." Sub Zero lessened his grip on her arms slightly but didn't let go.

"I, umm, got a little turned around. Sorry...I, I didn't mean to...to run into you. I wasn't paying attention. I'm s-sorry I'm late..." Wren stood nervously as seconds ticked by with him simply looking down at her.

"Well..." Sub Zero released her arms and took a step back. "I know that this place can be rather confusing for someone unfamiliar with the layout. I will forgive your tardiness this time."

Wren couldn't be sure with most of his face hidden behind the mask, but she thought he might be smiling judging by how his eyes sparkled. Wren felt relieved. "Thank you, Sifu. I won't be late again."

Sub Zero regarded her quietly for a moment before speaking. "Come, we've wasted enough time. Follow me." He turned and started down the hall. Wren followed him obediently. They soon came to the courtyard doors Wren had been trying her best to find all morning. Instead of going outside, however, he turned down a cooridor heading the opposite direction and stopped just outside of a set of heavy wooden doors. Pulling out a key, he unlocked the doors and ushered Wren inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Here." Sub Zero offered Wren the key he had used to unlock the door. "This will be our training space. There are two keys to this room. I have one and this one is yours."

Wren took the key hesitantly as she glanced about the gigantic room. It was much, much colder in here than in the rest of the temple. A thin, filmy coating of frost seemed to cling to the rough stone walls and floor. She noted that she could see their breath escaping from their bodies in white, steamy clouds. She involuntarily shivered at the sudden lack of warmth. "Why do you keep it locked?"

"Because I don't like to be disturbed." He answered absently as he walked further into the space. The last time he had been in here, Frost had been with him. '_Frost...'_ He sighed. He could almost hear her laughter echoing off the walls as it had that day while he watched her practice with her daggers. That had been a very good day. Everything, he remembered, had seemed so perfect and serene then. It was the last time he remembered feeling truly at peace and, dare he say it, happy. '_The calm before the storm_...' he thought to himself.

Wren watched him slowly walk away from her toward the center of the large room. Even though he had his back to her, something about his posture made him seem sad to her. He seemed completely lost in whatever he was thoughts he was having and seemed to have forgotten all about Wren's presence. Wren suddenly felt as if she were intruding on a very private moment that he was having. She dropped her eyes to the ground and stood silently by the door, not moving a muscle, so as not to disturb him.

Sub Zero emerged suddenly from his thoughts to find himself standing alone in the middle of the chamber. Straightening himself, he turned to find his student still standing quietly at the door. He shook his head. '_I need to stop daydreaming about the past and focus on the present. This isn't doing anyone any good.'_ He took a few steps back in Wren's direction. "Wren?"

Wren looked up when she heard her name. He beckoned for her to come to him. He appeared to have regained his composure over whatever had momentarily caused him grief. Even so, Wren still felt slightly uncomfortable. She slowly crossed the room to stand before him.

"Alright Wren." He gazed down into her eyes. When he spoke, his tone was once again playful. "First things first. I want you to keep in mind that it is bad manners to kick your teacher in the groin. As funny as it was to see what happened to Bijan, I don't wish to experience it myself. Okay?"

Wren nodded. "No kicking below the belt. Gotcha."

"Good. Make sure you remember that rule. Its very important." He smiled behind his mask. "Now, before we start anything else, I think we should address your fighting style. San Soo is a wonderful combat art, excellent for self defense. However, due to its lack of rules of engagement it isn't allowed in tournament. That being said, I think it would benefit you to learn a style that was a little more...structured."

"Tournament? What tournament?" Wren looked at him wide eyed. No one had said anything about a tournament.

The look on her face made him want to laugh, but he held it in, trying to appear serious. "Relax, Wren. It's not something that you need to worry about right now. Hopefully, it's something you will never have to worry about. I just like to err on the side of caution and be prepared. We will discuss these things at a later date, when I feel you're ready."

Wren was confused but agreed with him anyway. "...Okay..."

"Let's move on to the next subject. I am going to assume the sloppiness in your stance yesterday was exaggerated for show." He raised one eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Uh, yeah. Master Xiong would have killed me if he had seen that...He's all about proper technique." Wren giggled a little at her mental image of Xiong chasing her around the house trying to hit her with his cane for being so out of form.

Sub Zero nodded. "I imagined he would be with his background." He studied her for a moment. "I want to start out with something easy. In order for this to be a productive relationship, we are going to have to be comfortable with each other. So today, I think we may just do a little light sparring, a sort of 'get to know you' session. If that goes well I may begin to introduce you to some of the elements of Shotokan. Alright?"

"Yes, Sifu." Wren answered nervously.

"Good. Let's begin." Sub Zero bowed to Wren before he gracefully entered into his fighting stance.

'_Oh God...so it begins..._' Wren swallowed the lump in her throat entered her own stance and waited for what was to come.

End of Chapter 12

**Sadly, I have lost my inspiration. The friend who wanted me to write this abandoned me to go to the Bahamas (lucky her). I need encouragement...HELP!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: A big thank you to TheSilentShogun for the feedback. You gave me some really good things to think about. Much thanks! I hope you guys like this chapter. I posted it and then had to delete and repost due some weird things my computer did to it...oh well. It's fixed.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mortal Kombat, but if I did that would be wicked awesome. Enjoy!**

"So, how did it go today?"

Sub Zero was just about to enter his private rooms when a voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to face his friend. "I believe it went extremely well, Smoke. Thank you for asking. Coming in?"

Smoke nodded and followed Sub Zero into a very comfortable sitting room. They sat down opposite each other in two large overstuffed leather chairs. After they had both settled in and were comfortable Smoke broke the silence. "Well?"

Sub Zero looked thoughtful for a moment. "She's good. She's very good. A little out of practice, maybe, but definitely quite skilled." Sub Zero kicked his legs up onto a small table in front of the chair he was sitting in. "I think she has let her training go somewhat since Xiong got too old to keep up with her. Nothing I can't fix. We actually had quite a nice little sparring session."

"Mmm. You're lucky she didn't try to castrate you." Smoke chuckled.

"I set some ground rules before we started. How is Bijan?" Sub Zero grinned.

Smoke raised an eyebrow. "Physically, mentally, or emotionally?"

Sub Zero laughed. "I guess that answers my question." He thought for a moment and changed the subject. "I started teaching her some of the basic elements of Shotokan today also. Wren is very bright. She catches on incredibly quick. I didn't have to correct her for anything more than once. I believe that if today is any indication then I should be able to advance her along in training fairly quickly. I want to get through all the basics as soon as I can so that we can move on to lessons involving a little more skill."

"Ahh...you just can't wait to play in the snow can you? You're like a little kid." Smoke laughed.

Sub Zero laughed as well. "Am I that transparent?"

"You? Of course not..." Smoke joked.

Sub Zero ignored him. "It should be a nice challenge. She knows next to nothing. It's going to be interesting to watch her develop."

"Sounds like quite an undertaking. Starting from scratch? Are you sure you're up to it?" There seemed to be the slighest hint of concern in Smoke's voice.

"Are you kidding? I haven't felt this enthused about anything since..." Sub Zero's voice trailed off.

Smoke looked at his friend as if he wanted to say something.

Sub Zero caught his look. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Smoke looked away from his friend and toward the door. "I'm glad things are turning out well." He stood. "I really should go. There are things I need to attend to."

Sub Zero stood up as well. "No, wait. There is something on your mind. What is it?"

Smoke reluctantly turned back to face his friend. He ran a hand down his face and took a deep breath. "We have been friends for a really long time. I like to think we know each other pretty well."

"Whats your point, Smoke?"

"My point is, that I guess I am just a little bit concerned."

"About?" Sub Zero crossed his arms on his chest.

"About you."

"Me? Why?" Sub Zero could feel himself becoming defensive.

Smoke let out an exasperated sigh. "I just...man. I don't even know how to say this to you without making you upset."

"Smoke?"

Smoke shook his head. "Just...remember...Wren is her own person, alright? I know what a difficult time you had when...when you... lost Frost." He watched Sub Zero flinch slightly at the mention of Frost's name. "I also know that I'm probably the only other person in the world who knows what really happened out there."

"What does that have to do with this? What are you implying?" Sub Zero had grown very still.

"I'm not implying anything. I just...I know that you blame yourself for what happened. You shouldn't, but you do. It wasn't your fault. Frost did what she wanted to do. She ALWAYS did exactly what she wanted to do. Nothing you could have said or done would've stopped her. She knew what she wanted when she stepped through the front gate. She was just waiting for the right opportunity. You have to know that."

Sub Zero glared at Smoke coldly. "You didn't know her like I did. You didn't spend the time with her that I did."

"No I didn't. But have you ever thought that maybe you didn't know her like you thought you did. She was manipulative...and she had you right where she wanted you." Smoke glared back.

"Thats not true..." Sub Zero shook his head.

"I know you don't want to hear it but its the truth. Perhaps you misjudged her character. Tell me one solid, truthful thing you knew about her? Anything." Smoke stood with his arms crossed awaiting an answer.

Sub Zero hung his head. "I know she desperately needed guidance that I could have given her, but failed to provide."

"Will you listen to yourself? What are you trying to do here? Seriously?" Smoke's face showed genuine concern.

"I'm trying to do the right thing..." Sub Zero said the words with more conviction than he really felt.

"The right thing or the thing that is going to make you feel better? They are two completely different things, you know."

"Smoke, I think you need to leave now. I do not need to justify my actions to you." Sub Zero took an intimidating step toward his friend.

Smoke didn't flinch. "No, Sub, you don't. I just don't think it would be fair to yourself, or Wren, for you to expect her to be like someone she isn't. They aren't the same person. Wren isn't going to fit neatly into the hole Frost left. You can't use her to make amends to yourself over what happened with Frost. Just remember that, okay?" Smoke reached out and touched Sub Zero on the shoulder. "You can't recreate what's already gone. What's past is past. Let it go and move on." Smoke turned to leave and made his way to the door.

"Smoke?" Sub Zero called after him.

Smoke turned back around. "Yes?"

Sub Zero took a deep breath. "I know you mean well. I'll think about what you said. Thank you...for your concern."

Smoke nodded back to his friend before slipping out the door to return to his own rooms.

Sub Zero stood, mulling over Smoke's words. Could what he had implied be even remotely true? He wasn't trying to recreate what he had shared with Frost, was he? He honestly hadn't thought so, but he couldn't be sure that on some subconscious level the desire didn't exist. He knew without a doubt that Wren was a completely different entity. Still, it was true that the little time he had spent alone working with Wren so far had brought back a flood of memories of the times he had shared with Frost. He hated the thought that he may be unconsciously using Wren as a filler for the void that Frost's betrayal had left in him. Much to his dismay, he suddenly found himself standing in the middle of the room reevaluating his entire motivation for taking on his newest student.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Honey, I'm home!" Del giggled as she entered the room she shared with Wren. The lights were off and the room was dark and silent. "Wren?" Del flipped on the lights to find Wren sprawled face down on her bed. "Hey, you ok?" Del crossed the room and sat down on the bed beside Wren and poked her in the ribs.

Wren groaned. "Mmm suh trrrd."

"I didn't understand a word you just said. Get your face out of the pillow, silly." Del poked her again.

Wren struggled to flip herself over. "I said I'm tired." She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand.

Del grinned at her. "Long day, huh?"

Wren pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Oh my god. Long doesn't even describe it." Wren shook her head.

"Well, what happened?" Del pulled her legs up under her.

Wren stretched as she yawned again. "First off, I got lost...and was late..."

"Oh, jeez...I'm so sorry. I tried to get back here in time to walk you there...but when I got here you were already gone..."

"Thats ok, totally not your fault." Wren reassured Del.

"He wasn't upset was he?" Del looked concerned.

"No. I ran into him in the hallway...literally." Wren thought back to the encounter in the hallway. "He was actually quite understanding."

A look of relief crossed Del's face. "Good. I worried about that all day. I didn't want you to start off on the wrong foot. Then what happened?"

"Well, then we went to this room he said we would be training in...which for some reason he keeps locked up like Fort Knox. I thought that was kind of bizarre..."

Del had a look of awe on her face. "You actually got to go in there?"

"Yeah, he gave me a key." Wren fished the key out of her pocket to show Del. "So? Is that room forbidden or something?" Wren laughed.

Del touched the key like it was a priceless relic. "No, its just that, no one that I know of has ever been in there. Well, with the exception of the Grandmaster...and Frost..." Del crinkled her nose in distaste when she said the woman's name. "There are all kinds of rumors floating around the temple about what he has in there." Del looked at Wren as if she were expecting to get the answer to one of life's great mysteries.

Wren had to laugh. "Del, its just a room. An extremely big, extremely cold room. I don't even know why he keeps it locked. It's not like theres anything in there anyone can bother. Its empty."

Del seemed disappointed at her answer. "Empty?"

"Yep. He did seem kind of weird when we first went in there, though." Wren shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably at the thought.

"Weird how?" Del was getting interested again.

"Well...like sort of detached, I guess. Kind of sad. I don't know. It was like he was somewhere else for a little while. It was creepy. I felt like I was invading his privacy." Wren shivered slightly at the memory. "Then all of a sudden he sort of just snapped out of it like everything was fine."

"Hmmm..." Del scratched her head.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking how strange. Anyways..." Del shook her head. "After the initial creepiness he was fine?"

"Uh huh. He was fine enough that he proceeded to beat the crap out of me for the next two and a half hours." Wren gently rubbed her still aching arms.

Del laughed. "A little light sparring?"

"Light sparring, my ass..." Wren stretched causing the bones in her back to pop before she slumped back down into a lying position. "I guess he got bored with that because then he started trying to teach me some of the basics of Shotokan, after which he continued to beat the crap out of me for another hour using the techniques he had just demonstrated."

"Well, you gotta love a teacher who practices what they preach." Del had a goofy looking grin on her face.

Wren giggled. "I'm glad my suffering is amusing you."

Del snorted with laughter. "Well...other than the obvious all went well?"

"Oh, yeah. According to him we made great progress today." Wren rolled her eyes as she adjusted her pillow. "And the best part is I get to experience it all over again tomorrow. Oh joy." Wren sighed and slung an arm over her eyes.

Del patted Wren's shoulder and laughed. "Welcome to the Lin Kuei."

End of Chapter 13

**I had to redo this chapter. I had some weird computer thing going on, lol. Read and Review, blah, blah, blah, lol.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Don't sue me...I'm poor...**

The next few weeks seemed to fly by as they established their routine and became more comfortable working with each other. Wren would wake early and ready herself for another long day of training. Immediately after breakfast she would head to the their designated training area to find Sub Zero already awaiting her arrival. It seemed that no matter how early she attempted to get there, he was always there first, just waiting. _'One of these days,' _she would always think, _'I'm gonna beat you...'_

Most days, Wren would walk into the training room to find him simply standing, lost completely in thought. The feeling that she was intruding on him would return and Wren would feel her stomach twist in uncomfortable knots as she stood there waiting for him to acknowledge her. Then, as if suddenly sensing her presence, he would come back to himself and the dedicated teacher she had slowly come to view him as would return. There were a few occasions when the way he looked at her had caused her to be concerned that she had done something wrong to anger him. Those moments were fleeting, however, and would pass almost as suddenly as they occurred.

As time passed, Wren was becoming more and more curious as to what could be bothering her Sifu and causing his sudden changes in mood. One moment he could be quite good-natured and content, the next he would seem distant and somber. She was doing her best to be the respectful and attentive student she had promised Xiong she would be. She was fairly certain it wasn't anything she had done to elicit such change. She had begun to wonder if his behavior might have something to do with his former student. Frost seemed to have become a rather taboo subject around the temple. Wren had become aware that Sub Zero would never even so much as mention Frost's name in the conversations they carried on with each other. She found this odd considering how fond everyone had stated he seemed to be of her. If she had been his prized student as everyone led Wren to believe, one would think he would have more to say about her.

In the back of Wren's mind there was a nagging feeling she couldn't get past that told her that something wasn't quite right. More than once she found herself thinking back to Dai's theory that the Grandmaster may have killed his former student. Had he killed her? If she was as terrible as everyone seemed to feel, perhaps she had drove him over the edge and he was now struggling with the guilt of being the one responsible for her death? No, that didn't seem right to Wren. There had to be something else. She just couldn't figure it out.

Today had been a good day. Sub Zero had been instructing Wren in some advanced defensive moves. They had been training in one form or another nearly all day. Sub Zero had planned for today to be Wren's last official day of training in this particular area before moving on to something else. He had taken it upon himself to contact Master Xiong and inform him of the great progress Wren had made thus far and to request that he send one of Wren's belongings to him. He had brought the item he received with him to the today's training session with the intention of giving it to her when they finished today. It would serve to help usher her into the next phase of their training together.

Sub Zero was actually quite eager to give her the item. Xiong had informed him how much Wren cared for it and he wanted to see her face when she opened it. He thought that it would be a very pleasant surprise and reward in recognition of how well she was doing. That, however, would have to wait because he still needed to assist Wren with one last move that she couldn't quite get right.

"Ack! I'm not coordinated enough for this..." Wren stifled a giggle as she almost fell over.

"Wren..." Sub Zero laughed softly as he caught her by the arm to balance her. "It isn't a question of coordination...its balance." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before he released her arm. "Here...let me show you...its quite simple"

Wren watched him curiously as he went around behind her. He came close enough to her that she could feel the chill that radiated off his body against her back. That coolness, she noticed, was in total contrast to the breath she could feel warming the back of her neck. Wren jumped slightly and held her breath when she suddenly felt one large, cold had in the small of her back and another on her shoulder, straightening her.

He spoke quietly into her ear. "First of all...you need to stand up straight..." Satisfied with her posture, he moved forward slightly so that his chest was pressed against her back. The hand on her back moved up to her other shoulder. He pushed down on her shoulders gently. "Now...bend your knees a little more...there you go." His hands slid down her shoulders to softly grip her wrists. "...Your arms should be like this..." He manipulated her arms into the correct position. "There...just like that. See? Hold that pose."

He stood like that for a moment, still grasping her wrists, before he released her and stepped back around to face her. He looked her up and down, appraising his work. "Perfect. You just need to be aware of your center of gravity. Balance. Not too difficult, huh?" Then, like someone had flipped a switch, the smile that had been on his face was suddenly and inexplicably replaced by another look. It was a look of regret mingled with grief and perhaps anger.

Wren immediately relaxed her stance. "Sifu? Is everything alright?"

He seemed to be looking through her. There was a moment where he looked almost disgusted. She wasn't sure if he was disgusted with her or himself, but she found the look very disturbing.

"Sifu?" Wren's voice was just above a whisper.

"Wren..." His voice had become cold and flat. "We are done for the day. You are excused." Without another word, he turned and exited the room, leaving Wren standing there alone and more confused...and curious...than ever.

Sub Zero moved quickly down the cooridor trying to put as much distance between himself and his student as possible. He felt ill. He needed to be alone. '_What the hell is wrong with me?'_ He shook his head to clear it as he continued down the hall.

Indeed, he was thrilled with the progress Wren was making. She was a quick study. He was becoming very fond of her. He enjoyed teaching her. He enjoyed the time they spent together intensely, but since the talk he had with Smoke he found himself scrutinizing their every encounter. He would analyze their every interaction for the smallest indication that he was using her as a replacement for Frost. Much to his relief, and horror, that didn't seem to be the case.

What horrified him was the fact that during much of the time he spent training Wren, he didn't think of Frost. When he would suddenly realize that he wasn't feeling the familiar burden of his failure, the guilt would wash over him. He would become angry with himself. He would withdrawl and vow to himself in his mind to not allow himself lose sight of the past again. After all, what right did he have to put it all behind him and enjoy himself after what he had allowed to happen? He had no right in his opinion. He needed to keep himself in check.

He knew Wren noticed the change in him when it occured. He would watch as she would uncomfortably shrink away from him. He felt guilt for that also. He was afraid she would think it was something she had done to make him behave in such a manner. He wanted to assure her that it wasn't. During the past week or so he had actually found himself longing to tell Wren the whole story just to get it out in the open. The thought of her realizing how terribly he had screwed up and possibly losing trust and confidence in him made him stop.

"Damn it!" Sub Zero came to a sudden stop. He suddenly realized he had left Wren's surprise back in the training room. '_Maybe I can give it to her tomorrow...' _He slowly started moving again, debating whether or not to go back and retrieve it. '_Oh to hell with it...'_ He turned and headed back to the room to get the object. It belonged to Wren and he didn't feel right about leaving it lying around, regardless of whether or not the room was locked. He knew from Xiong that the item meant a lot to her. '_Besides, I should apologize for acting like an ass and walking out on her...it's not her fault...' _

He had almost reached his destination when he spotted Wren walking down the cooridor in the opposite direction with Delilah in the direction of the room they shared. He watched them until they were out of site and then slipped around the corner and back into the training room. He got what he came for and paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before once again locking the door and heading in the direction Wren and Del had gone. He would give Wren her "gift" and apologize and tomorrow they would try something new.

End of Chapter 14

**Sorry...this chapter kind of sucks...but oh well...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: It's been a minute since I updated. I was having a rough time with this chapter. I would write a paragraph, lose my train of thought, take a couple days off then write another. It was terrible!!! I actually seriously considered scrapping the whole story and starting over...but changed my mind. Much good karma and thanks to KombatLady for her very kind review! I am glad you are enjoying the story so far. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mortal Kombat, but I wish I did.**

"Hey, Wren! Wait up a sec!" Del broke into a slow jog in order to catch up with her friend. Wren paused only long enough for Del to catch up before resuming her weary walk back to the quarters they shared. "Hungry? Wanna go grab some dinner with me?"

Wren shook her head. "No, I'm not really hungry. You can go on ahead."

Del sensed the tension in Wren and there was concern in her voice as she spoke. "Are you alright?"

Wren let out an exasperated sigh. "I'll be completely honest with you, Del. If I had the faintest idea of where I am and how to get home or wasn't afraid of getting lost and mauled to death by a pack of rabid penguins, I would run away from this place and never come back."

Del stifled a giggle. "Penguins live in the south pole..."

Wren managed to laugh a little at Del's attempt to lighten the mood and rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Del...polar bears, then. You get my point."

"It can't be that bad..."

"I am trying so hard to be a good student. I really am. I have never trained so hard in my entire life. I've tried to do everything that's been asked of me. I just...I don't know what the problem is." Wren sighed again and shook her head. "I just don't know."

"Well, why don't you tell me what happened this time?" Del's voice sounded motherly.

"I'm not sure." Wren paused to think. "We were almost done for the day. There was one thing I didn't quite get right and he was...helping me. Everything was...really nice." Wren involuntarily blushed a little at the memory of her Sifu being so close to her and maneuvering her body into position with his own. "Then all of a sudden he was like...'We're done. Leave.' That was it. He practically ran out and left me standing there."

"Hmm..." Del seemed to be processing the information Wren had just relayed. Wren could almost see the gears turning in the other woman's head.

"What are you thinking, Del?" Wren was curious to get Del's take on the latest incident.

"From everything that you have been telling me about these little episodes, I think this type of behavior is a symptom of a bigger problem...and I don't think you are the cause..." Del frowned.

Wren's green eyes grew wide. "You don't think it has something to do with her, do you? Frost?"

"Maybe...a big maybe." Del shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised at all if it did. It was right after he came back without her that he started acting kind of different."

"You don't think he...you know...killed her do you?" Wren could feel her heart start to beat a little harder in her chest at the thought.

"What? No! Don't even go there, you sound like Dai. Him and his dumb conspiracy theories. You should ask him about his ideas on why that freaky she-demon Sareena hangs out here all the time. Its truly disturbing..." Del shuddered. "But, that's a story for another day." Del suddenly stopped walking, grabbed Wren's arm and grinned. "I have an idea!"

"What is it?" Wren asked uneasily. She didn't particularly find the look on Del's face encouraging.

"I don't wanna talk about it out here in the hallway. Come on!" Del hurried Wren down the corridor.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Okay, Del, lemme get this straight..." Wren sat crossed legged in the middle of her bed. "You want me to break into Frost's old room and snoop through her stuff? This is supposed to help the situation how?"

Del was sprawled across her bed lying on her stomach facing Wren. "Aren't you the least bit curious? I think it's kind of exciting. Trying to solve the big mystery...think of it as an adventure!" Del grinned at her.

"Well, if you think it's so exciting, why don't YOU go dig through her stuff!" Wren threw her pillow at Del.

Del ducked a little too late and the pillow struck her in the head sending a few downy feathers floating into the air like snowflakes. "BECAUSE he isn't my teacher. Besides, Frost's room is right outside the entrance to the Grandmaster's private quarters. Getting in there would require a little more stealth than I am capable of. You, on the other hand, are a sneaky little devil. You could get in and out with no problem." Del threw the pillow back at Wren, who caught it.

"Del, I think that is a terrible idea." Wren stretched out her legs and leaned back on her bed.

Del cocked her head and grinned. "Why? Don't you think it would put your mind at ease to find out what really happened?"

Wren chuckled and shook her head. "Don't you think it would totally traumatize me if I went in there and found her body all bound up in plastic wrap in the closet? Then there is the whole possibility of getting caught, which I am sure would not be a good thing."

Del laughed. "First of all, I think the chance of you finding a body in the closet is slim to none. Secondly, even if you did get caught you probably wouldn't be in too much trouble…"

"Too much trouble?!" Wren laughed. "What if I did happen to find something incriminating and he found out? If he did her in I certainly don't want to be number two. I happen to like being alive, thank you very much."

"Wren, that's not going to happen. I tell you, he didn't…" Both girls froze as Del's words were cut off by a sharp knock on the door.

Del and Wren looked at each other for a moment as the knock repeated itself. Del slowly stood up and crossed the room. She looked back at Wren for a moment before reaching for the doorknob and slowly opening the door.

'_Maybe they didn't go back to their room...Or she is very upset and not answering the door…' _Sub Zero was about to give up and leave when the door slowly inched open revealing a startled looking Del.

'_Oh my God! I wonder how long he has been standing out there...Did he hear anything?' _Del's eyes grew wide at the site of the Grandmaster standing outside the door and she began to fidget. "G-Grandmaster...w-what can I do f-for you?" Del cast a guilty glance back at Wren, who was hauling herself to her feet.

"Delilah..." Sub Zero cocked an eyebrow at her peculiar behavior. "Is everything alright in there? You seem a little perplexed."

"Oh, umm, everything is fine." Del managed a grin. "We were just talking, you know...hanging out."

"I see." Sub Zero looked past Del to Wren who was standing in the middle of the room looking blankly back at him. "Wren, I need to have a word with you."

Wren gave no indication that she had heard and made no attempt to move. After what had transpired a short while ago, she really didn't want to speak with him. She needed more time to assess the situation. She turned her attention to staring at the floor.

Del looked nervously from one to the other. "Well...I'm gonna go get something to eat." She slipped quickly around Sub Zero and scurried down the hall, more than happy to get away.

Sub Zero watched her go and then turned his attention back to Wren. "Wren?" He knew she was purposefully trying to ignore him. He stepped the rest of the way into the room and shut the door behind him.

The sound of the door shutting caused Wren to look up. She felt anxious. She wished Del hadn't ran off. She really didn't want to be alone with him after what she and Del had just discussed. She reluctantly met the gaze of her sifu with a hard look of her own. The anger that she had seen in his eyes earlier in the evening was gone. In its stead, she saw something not quite resembling sadness.

Sub Zero took a few steps toward Wren, closing the gap between them. He sighed. "Wren..." He reached out as if to touch her shoulder. He paused just short of making contact seeming to change his mind and dropped his arm back to his side. He took a deep breath. "Wren, I just came to apologize for my inappropriate behavior earlier. I was very rude to you." Wren's eyes seemed to soften slightly at his apology. He swallowed. "I just wanted you to know that it had nothing to do with you. Its just that...I..." He had to stop himself. There were too many things threatening to spill out of him at the moment.

Wren said nothing as she waited for him to continue. She had the hope that perhaps she was about to receive an explaination for the way he had been acting toward her. She was to the point where she was actually considering doing what she and Del had talked about in regards to examining Frost's room for clues. As much as she disliked the idea, she was beginning to think it was the only way she was ever going to get any answers.

Sub Zero had caught himself just in time. He desperately needed to change the subject before he shared more with her than he wanted. His eyes shifted to the object he held in his hand. He had almost forgotten all about it. A smile came to his face as he looked back into Wren's eyes. "I also wanted to give you this."

Wren's disappointment in his change of subject was completely forgotten as she recognized the long, slim, carved redwood box he held out to her. "My sword!" Wren's face lit up as she took the box from him. "How did you get it?" Wren clutched the box to her chest.

"I recently spoke with Master Xiong about how well you were doing here. I thought you may like to have your jian so I asked that it be sent to me. He was more than happy to oblige. He also wanted me to relay to you how proud he is of you. As am I." Sub Zero had hoped she would have been pleased with his offering and he was not disappointed. The look of happiness on her face caused a sudden surge of contentment to course through him as well but disappated just as suddenly as that look of happiness turned into a frown. "Wren? What's wrong?" He took a step closer to her.

Wren felt her eyes filling up with hot tears. She dropped her eyes to the ground and shook her head. She backed away from her sifu and sat down on the edge of her bed, still holding tight to the box containing her sword. She took a ragged breath. "Nothing. Thank you." She blinked her eyes trying to rid her vision of the blurriness her tears were creating.

Without even realizing it, Sub Zero had crossed the room and sat down next to Wren on her bed. He watched as a lone tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek to drip onto the box she held in her hands. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and caught her chin in his cold hand, and turned her face towards him. As another tear threatened to fall, he gently wiped it away with his thumb. "Why are you crying?"

Wren pushed his hand away. '_I hate it here...you confuse me...' _she thought. She lovingly ran her hands up and down the sword box. "I miss home."

Sub Zero nodded in understanding. "I know. I'm sorry. This hasn't been as easy as I hoped...for either of us." He glanced around uncomfortably as he stood. What was he doing? He needed to get out of here.

Wren looked at him then. He seemed to consider saying something more for a moment, but changed his mind. She watched as he walked quickly back to the door.

He stopped suddenly and turned back to face Wren as he reached for the doorknob. "If you are feeling up to it..." He hesitated for a moment. "I would like for us to try something new tomorrow."

Wren wiped her eyes. She was somewhat amazed at how fast he could slip back into teacher mode. "Like what? Swords?" She brightened ever so slightly at the idea.

He shook his head and smiled softly. "No, not swords...not yet. That is going to be part of your 'homework'." He gestured towards the box she held.

Wren sniffled a little. "Homework?"

"Yes. I want you to look at your jian."

"You want me to...look...at my sword?" She looked puzzled. "I know what it looks like." She sniffled again.

"No. I want you to really look at it. I want you to notice how its balanced, its weight, the way it feels in your hand. I want you to examine the blade, the guard, the hilt, and the pommel. Everything. I want you to take in all the intricate little details and commit them to memory."

"But...why?" Wren looked down to the box she held and wiped away the traces of the tear that had splashed upon it.

"You will understand later. Right now just do as I ask. Tomorrow?" He turned the knob and opened the door a crack.

Wren nodded in agreement. "Tomorrow."

She seemed to sit there forever after he had left contemplating what she was going to do. She kept going back and forth with herself over the act she was planning to commit. Finally, she made up her mind. Her sifu wasn't being very forthcoming. She didn't see any other alternative. She almost didn't notice when Del returned to the room.

"Wren? Everything alright? Whats in the box?" Del leaned against the door.

"Yep, everything is okay. He brought me my sword." Wren tapped the box with her fingers. "Del?"

"Hmm?" Del sat down on her bed facing Wren.

"I'm gonna do it." Wren stopped tapping.

Del stared at her uncomprehending. "Do it? What?"

"Check out Frost's room." Wren stated flatly.

A grin spread slowly across Del's face. "Now we're talking!"

End of Chapter 15

**Tada! Not my best work, but blah. It was almost torture to write. I hope you guys are liking what you're reading so far. Feel free to speak up with any suggestions or comments. I welcome criticism. Please read and review! **


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Not mine! **

Wren awoke the next day with a strange feeling of relief that she had finally decided on a course of action. She knew that breaking into Frost's room probably wasn't the wisest idea she had ever had, but in her mind she thought it was better than doing nothing at all. She wasn't sure how much longer she could stand the current state of things between herself and her sifu. She desperately needed answers to the questions in her mind. Her current plan was to let whatever happened between now and then go until she figured out exactly what was going on.

After sharing a light breakfast with Del, Wren headed on down to the training room. When she got there Sub Zero was nowhere to be found, much to her surprise. '_Looks like I finally beat him for once.'_ Wren smiled to herself and took a seat and waited for her sifu to arrive, wondering what new thing he wanted them to try today.

Sub Zero took his time getting ready this morning despite the fact that excitment coursed through him. He needed a little extra time to mentally prepare himself today. This was the day he had been anxiously awaiting since he brought Wren home with him. Today was the day he would begin to instruct Wren in the art of cryomancing. Deciding that he was as ready as he would ever be, he headed to the training room, eager to begin his lesson. He could hardly wait.

He arrived to find Wren patiently waiting. "You're late." Wren stated matter-of-factly with a slight grin.

Sub Zero raised an eyebrow in amusement. There was no sign of the conflict he seemed to be having with himself last night. "Actually, I'm right on time. I'm usually early...and why am I explaining myself to you? I AM the teacher, afterall, I'm allowed to be late." He rapped Wren on the head with his knuckles playfully.

"Ow!" Wren rubbed the top of her head in an exaggerated show of pain. '_At least he seems to be in a good mood today. Let's see how long this lasts...'_

Sub Zero laughed softly. "Alright Wren, lets get started shall we?"

Wren got to her feet. "So, what are we doing?"

Sub Zero looked at her thoughtfully and smiled. "I think you're ready."

"Ready for what?" Wren looked a little apprehensive.

"Relax Wren, thats a good thing." He reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder. "I think you are ready to explore your other abilities. I know we haven't spoke of it much since you arrived, but I think that now is the perfect time."

Wren's eyes grew wide. "But.."

"But what?" Sub Zero dropped his arm back to his side.

"I told you...back in that Wei guys office...that I don't know how to do anything." Wren was already nervous and the lesson hadn't even started.

"Which is why you are here is it not? For me to teach you and for you to learn. I understand that you haven't had any sort of formal training. You've never had the benefit of having someone around who was capable of teaching you the things you need to know. I don't expect you to master everything all in one day. Its going to take a little time to learn to harness and control your power. I'm here to help you do that. You just need to trust me, ok?" Sub Zero gave Wren a reassuring look.

'_Trust...I'll trust you when I find out what the hell is really going on around here...'_ Wren nodded her head in agreement. "I guess."

Sub Zero looked a little surprised by her answer. "You guess?"

"I meant yes." Wren managed a nervous smile.

"Thats better." Sub Zero studied her for a moment. "Come on." He headed further into the room. Wren followed slowly.

Wren stood in front of Sub Zero and took a deep breath. The air came out of her lungs in a white cloud as she exhaled. "Ok, so where do we start?"

He looked down at Wren. "The very beginning. We'll start with the most basic of manipulations. Like any other skill, you need to learn the fundamentals first and then build on them."

Wren nodded in understanding.

"Alright." Sub Zero took a step back. "Now...watch..."

Wren watched in awe as Sub Zero effortlessly outstretched one hand and a bluish mist began to swirl about it. The mist seemed to concentrate itself in the middle of his hand as it swirled, taking on shape. As the mist began to condense, it took on the appearance of a glob of water, floating just above Sub Zero's palm. As Wren looked on, the glob of water began to solidify. A thin layer of frost formed on Sub Zero's hand as the water froze into a solid ball.

"There." Sub Zero seemed to test the weight of the ball in his palm before handing it to Wren.

Wren took the ball and stared at it in amazement before looking back to her sifu. "That was by far the coolest thing I have ever seen...literally."

Sub Zero chuckled. "If thats the case, Xiong must not have let you out much. I didn't believe you would be so easily impressed."

"Seriously..." She was still looking at the ice ball in wonder.

Sub Zero put two fingers under Wren's chin and lifted her face toward him, dragging her attention away from the ball of ice. "Your goal for now is to learn to make one of those." He gestured toward the ball in her hand. "That will be the foundation of everything else I am going to teach you."

Wren looked at him with a stunned expression and shook her head. "I can't do it."

"What do you mean you can't do it?" Sub Zero crossed his arms.

"I have to be able to touch something before...I can do anything to it." Wren waved her hand in front of her for emphasis. "I'm telling you, I don't know how. I can't do it." She took a step back.

"First of all, I don't ever want to hear you say that you can't do something ever again." Sub Zero stepped toward her with a hard look on his face. "Secondly..." He lifted her face towards his once more. "As I stated before, you are here to learn. Let me teach you." His words came out sounding more like an order than a request.

Wren didn't say anything. She only looked up into his eyes as he looked back down into hers.

His face seemed to soften slightly. "Please?" His voice came out just above a whisper.

Wren could suddenly see some strange look in his eyes that she had never seen before. She was suddenly very aware of how close he was standing to her and it made her feel slightly uneasy. She nodded her head in response to his request and breathed a deep sigh of relief when he released his grip on her and took a step away.

"May we continue?" The same strange look was still in his eyes, but not quite as intense as it was a moment ago.

"Yes, Sifu. I'm sorry." Wren desperately wished for him to get back to the lesson and stop looking at her as he was. He was beginning to make her feel extremely self conscious.

Almost as if reading her mind, Sub Zero continued on with his lesson. "There is water all around you, Wren. Its trapped in the air as vapor. Its even in the breath you exhale. The supply is virtually endless. All you need to do is tap into it, and of course, freeze it."

"How do I do that?" Wren decided to try her best to be actively involved in the lesson, despite her misgivings.

Sub Zero smiled. "Its not that much different than channeling any other type of energy. Which I know you are perfectly capable of."

"Channeling energy?" Wren looked at him baffled. She didn't have the slightest clue about channeling energy.

"Don't look so confused, Wren. Remember when you came to see me in Master Wei's office and I asked you to demonstrate what you could do?" He looked at her patiently.

Wren nodded. "Yes."

"When you froze the water in the pitcher, you were channeling that energy from yourself to the water inside. You willed it to freeze, which it did. What you need to learn now is how to take the water that is all around you and turn it into a tangible form that you can work with. It is sort of the reverse but works under the same principle. Instead of channeling energy out, you are drawing a different substance to you. That is what I want to work on with you today." He paused for a moment and seemed to be considering the best way to continue. "Close your eyes."

Wren hesitated. "What for?"

"Wren..." Sub Zero's voice had an edge of warning to it.

"Okay." Wren looked uncertainly at him before doing as he asked.

"Now, I want you to think about how you felt back home when it would rain. Or better yet, think about how you feel when you go outside the temple into the cold and snow."

"How I feel? I feel cold and wet." Wren would have laughed if he hadn't sounded so serious.

"Stay with me here." He could see her fighting to keep a straight face and had to stop himself from laughing also. He had begun to notice lately that her amusement seemed to be contagious. "I meant concentrate on how your body responds. Its usually most noticable in the hands. Concentrate on them. What do you feel?"

Wrens eyebrows drew together in a look of concentration. She cocked her head to one side as she opened and closed her hands. "I don't know...it feels sort of tingly. Kind of like it feels when the circulation gets cut off, but not really. Its more of a buzzing sensation. Its just noticable." Wren opened her eyes and looked at him. "I've never really paid it much attention before."

He nodded his approval at her observation. "Excellent, Wren." His own body constantly hummed with an intense energy due to the enhancement the dragon medallion had on his powers. "That is your body's way of acknowledging its element. Close your eyes again. Let's try something."

Wren complied more easily this time. She sensed him come very close to her then. Even in the chill of the training room, Wren could feel the coolness that radiated off his body. When he spoke again, his voice was low and his warm breath tickled her ear causing her to involuntarily shudder.

"I'm going to need for you to concentrate. The main thing to remember about what we are about to do is visualization. You need to visualize the water vapor in the air coming together in the form you want. Once that is accomplished, you simply will it to freeze like you did the water in the pitcher. Can you do that, Wren?" He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear as he spoke.

Wren swallowed hard and nodded.

"Good. Stretch out your hand."

Wren did as he asked. She could feel one of his hands in the middle of her back. The other took hold of the wrist on her extended arm.

"I'm going to help you this time, but only so much so that you understand what you need to do. Now, picture in your mind the vapor forming...coming together."

'_This would be a lot easier if you weren't breathing on the back of my neck...'_ In her mind, Wren tried to picture the mist gathering in her hand as it had Sub Zero's, but found his close proximity rather distracting.

"Concentrate, Wren..."

"I'm trying." She really wished he wasn't so close. It made her nervous. She had difficulty concentrating on anything when she was nervous. She tried again to picture the swirling mist coming together. After a few moments she began to feel something cool and moist surrounding her hand.

"Good, Wren. Thats a nice start. Open your eyes, but don't break your concentration."

Wren opened her eyes slowly and was astonished to see a wispy mist forming around her outstretched hand. She gasped softly.

"Keep it up, Wren. Thats all you." The hand he had on her back moved up to her shoulder. "Now, picture it condensing, taking on a liquid form." There was a hint of excitement in his voice.

As Wren continued to concentrate she noticed the mist taking on more of the shape she wanted. As hard as she tried, however, she couldn't get the vapor to come together anymore than it already had. "I...can't."

"You can. You just need a little more pull. Let me..." Sub Zero began to channel a miniscule amount of his own energy into the endeavor.

Wren felt a sudden surge of power that transfered from the hand that held her wrist into her own hand. Wren's hand suddenly felt as though she had grabbed onto an electric cable. She tried to pull away from the sudden intensity of the sensation, but he held her fast.

"Relax, Wren. Concentrate. You're fine. Visualize it coming together." He could easily see her discomfort. He squeezed her shoulder gently in an attempt to reassure her.

Wren did as she was told, trying to ignore the feeling in her hand. With the addition of Sub Zero's help, she was able to easily transform the water vapor into a mass of water just slightly smaller than the palm of her hand.

Sub Zero immediately released Wren's wrist. "Freeze it."

"What?" Wren was distracted by the sudden departure of the intense tingling in her hand.

"Ice, Wren. Stay focused." He squeezed her shoulder again.

"Okay..right." Wren redirected her attention back to the task at hand. "Ice...I can do ice." The water before her seemed to crytalize as she willed it to freeze. Within seconds, she had a ball of ice resting within her palm.

"See! You did it!" Sub Zero beamed at her proudly. "A little bit of practice and it will be like second nature to you. You won't even have to concentrate. It'll come to you much easier, almost without thinking. Before long I'll be renting you out to do ice sculptures for weddings."

Wren giggled a little at his joke. "Haha, funny." Wren was rolling the ice from one hand to the other. "You gonna teach me how to make ice swans? I hear they're real popular on the wedding circuit."

He grinned back at her. "Not swans. Maybe something else. First things first, though. I want you to practice what we've done here today. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, sifu."

"Good. I think we'll try this a few more times and that will be all for today. I don't want to overwhelm you. Okay?"

Wren nodded. '_This might not be so bad...I may be able to handle this.' _Wren began to mentally prepare herself to try again. As she watched her sifu, her thoughts momentarily jumped back to the plan she and Del were busy crafting. _'Stop it Wren...you need to be thinking cold thoughts...not about breaking and entering...there will be plenty of time for that later.' _She shook her head to clear it.

"Ready?" Sub Zero's voice broke through Wren's thoughts.

"As I'll ever be."

End of Chapter 16

**Finally another chapter. I have the next two written , but I'm gonna wait to post them. All I'm gonna tell you is ...someone is gonna get in trouble. Haha! Hope you like it!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: This is just a little chapter leading up to Wren and Del's little "adventure". Its short and sweet. Much good karma to you all who have let me know what you think. I'm glad you are enjoying it. So...without further ado, here is the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Voodoo still doesn't own Mortal Kombat, but she does claim Ms. Wren and Ms. Delilah...just not in public. LOL!**

Del stood outside the bathroom. She was beginning to become slightly concerned about her friend. She tapped on the wooden doorframe. "Wren?"

"Hmm?" The answer was muffled from behind the bathroom door.

"Umm...if you don't mind my asking..." Del stood with the side of her face pressed against the door trying to hear her friend better over the sound of the roaring shower inside. "You've been in there a really, really long time. What the hell are you doing? Are you ok?"

"Uh...yeah Del. Everythings fine. I'm just...umm...cleaning up. Yeah." Wren looked around the bathroom. The steam that poured out of the shower was so thick it almost made it hard to breath. There was water and what appeared to be melting slush all over the floor. '_Geez what a freakin mess...it seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I know better.'_

Del jiggled the doorknob. It was locked. "Wren, unlock the door. Seriously. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Del..." Wren threw a couple more towels on the floor and tried to mop up a little more of the mess.

"Wren, open the door please..." Del jiggled the doorknob again. "Let me in." Del had begun to notice steam seeping from the tiny crack at the top of the door. "C'mon, Wren."

Wren looked around her once again in dismay at the state of the room and then to the door where Del waited on the other side. She sighed. Del wasn't going to take no for an answer. Reluctantly, Wren unlocked the door.

Del pushed open the door only to have a heavy cloud of steam roll out in her face. "Wren, what the hell?" Del splashed across the room to shut off the shower. As the steam cleared slightly she surveyed the room, and Wren, who was perched on the edge of the sink soaking wet. "What happened in here?"

"I know its a mess, but I'm gonna clean it up. I promise." Wren said apologetically.

"But..." Del looked at the slushy floor. "What is that?"

Wren put on her most innocent face. "Melting snow."

Del looked at Wren with a baffled expression. "Snow?"

"Uh huh." Wren nodded.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but I'm going to anyway." Del paused. "How did snow get in our bathroom?"

"I...made it." Wren pushed a soggy towel around with her foot trying to slop up more of the mess.

"You made it?" Del's eyes grew wide. "You never told me you could do that!"

Wren laughed a little at Del's expression. "I didn't know. I was practicing those ice ball things the Grandmaster showed me how to make like I have been for the past week. I think I've finally almost got the hang of it, by the way." Wren threw another towel on the floor. "I decided to turn the shower on and make a little steam. I thought it might be easier that way, and it was at first. More water vapor, you know."

Del nodded her understanding. She actually thought she was more excited about Wren learning cryomancing than Wren was. Her new favorite passtime was hanging out with Wren while she practiced her new skill. It was something she never got tired of watching. She thought it became even more interesting as Wren continued to improve on a daily basis. She would practically jump Wren when she came through the door after her training sessions with the Grandmaster wanting to know what all she had learned that day. "So what happened?"

"I think that the room became too saturated. I don't have enough control yet. I lost focus and my point of concentration spread, I guess. I think the Grandmaster calls it diffusion or something like that. I don't know. Anyway, the next thing I know it was like a mini blizzard in here." Wren giggled. "Actually, it was kind of neat...until it started melting and made this huge mess."

Del laughed. "That is so totally awesome."

"So, you're not mad about the bathroom?" Wren scooped the wet towels off the floor and dropped them in the laundry before grabbing a couple clean ones to sop up more of the wetness.

"Mad? Absolutely not." Del helped Wren mop up the last of the water covering the floor. "I'm a little disappointed, though. I wish I could have seen that. That must have been so cool." Del pouted.

Wren poked Del in the side. "Maybe another time. I sure as hell don't wanna clean up another mess like this today."

Del grinned. "So, what are you gonna do now? Wanna go hang out in the common room or something?"

"I would love to." Wren sighed. "But, I have to stare at my sword now."

Del snorted. "What is up with that?"

"I would love to be able to tell you, but I have no idea. I just do what I'm told." Wren stripped out of her damp outer garments and pulled on some dry clothes before pulling her sword out from under her bed and sitting down. "Yep, it still looks the same as it did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that..."

"Wow. That looks really exciting, Wren." Del grinned.

Wren rolled her eyes as she turned the sword in her hands. "Oh, it is."

Del grew serious. "You know, Wren, since we're just sitting here, there is something we should probably discuss. I mean, it is almost game time."

"Oh god, Del." Wren dropped her sword on the bed and stood up. "Do we have to do this now. I've been thinking and maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. I mean, he hasn't freaked out on me lately like he used to. It's been over a week and nothing really out of the ordinary has happened. Maybe he's over whatever was going on."

Del smirked and raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Nothing weird going on? Nothing at all?"

Wren shook her head. "Not really. I mean, I tell you like practically everything that goes on."

"Practically everything?" Del sat down on Wren's bed and pulled Wren down beside her. "You've been holding out on me. Spill it girlfriend."

Wren laughed. " Del, you are such the gossip queen."

Del winked at Wren. "You know it. C'mon tell."

"There isn't anything to tell." Wren shrugged. "I've sort of been getting a different vibe from him since we started all this cryomancing business. Nothing serious. He looks at me funny sometimes. I'm not really sure what that is all about, but I can live with it."

"Different vibe? Different how?"

"Geez, Del. I don't know." Wren rubbed the back of her neck. "Just different. I've decided that I'm not gonna worry about it because at least its better than how it was."

"Yeah, but how long is it going to last?" Del asked the one question that had been on Wren's mind.

Wren rubbed her eyes wearily with the backs of her hands. "I've been asking that one myself. I'm just afraid of stirring up something worse than what it is already." She dropped her hands to her lap and looked at Del. "Somedays I think of what I wouldn't give just to go home. At least there I know exactly what to expect from people day to day. At home I don't have to worry about what kind of mood Master Xiong will be in when I wake up in the morning. He is the same old Xiong everyday...unlike some other people I know."

Del nodded. "Which is why I thought we had agreed on a plan of action."

Wren sighed. "I know. I'm gonna do it. I need to do it. I guess I'm just trying to talk some sense into myself. I have the feeling if he finds out that we were in her room he's gonna be totally pissed. I've never seen him really, truly angry before, but I'm sure that it's not pretty."

Del grinned mischevioulsy. "He's not gonna find out because we're gonna be very careful."

"I wish I was as confident about this as you are."

"You'll see. It'll all work out perfectly. I've been giving this a lot of thought." Del smiled to herself. "Actually, I've probably been giving this entirely too much thought."

"It's good that at least one of us is thinking about it. I've tried my best not to." Wren chuckled. "Lay it on me, sister. Whats the plan?"

Wren listened as Del ran through the intricate plan she had devised. Much to Wren's surprise, it actually sounded like a very good plan. There were only a couple details that needed to be ironed out. Other than that, it was just a matter of waiting for the right opportunity. They wouldn't have to wait long.

End of Chapter 17

**I'll probably post the next chapter sometime this weekend. I already have it written, but I'm going back through to edit again. I decided there were some things I wanted to add in. Anyways, I hope you are all enjoying the story. Let me know what you think! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: I was gonna put this up this weekend, but I just realized that I will be heading out of town tomorrow...so I figured I would just go ahead and post today before I left out in the morning. A super duper huge thank you to KombatLady...I am seriously considering your suggestions. **

**Disclaimer: I don't even own the computer I'm typing this on...**

Tonight was the big night that Wren and Del had been waiting for. They had been planning and scheming for the past two weeks, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity. They had decided that it was either now or never. Wren would finally venture into the mysterious territory that was Frost's old room. There was no turning back.

They had planned the whole thing much like a minor military operation. They had scrutinized the watchbill daily to find out exactly who would be up and roaming the halls on any given night. They finally chose a night where their friend Ahiga would be on duty, as well as Del herself. That way, they decided, Wren could slip down the halls easily and not have to worry so much if she was caught out by the rover, which just so happened to be Ahiga. If Ahiga, by some chance, did happen to catch Wren out after hours, she could simply claim that Del had forgotten something she needed for her watch and that she was bringing it to her. Ahiga would surely buy that as an excuse and go about his business none the wiser.

Del, for her part, would act as sort of a lookout for Wren. Del had aquired some tools that she thought Wren might find useful in the endeavor. She had "borrowed" a small pen light, a lock pick, and a few other small items she thought may be helpful. While on watch, Del had also taken to timing exactly how long it took a rover to make a single round of their section of the temple. By doing this, she had carefully calculated a window of time in which Wren would have the greatest chance of getting down the halls and into Frost's room undetected.

"Alright girlie, are you ready for this?" Del gave Wren a mischevious grin.

"No, not really, but I'm gonna do it anyway." Wren was nervously pulling at the hem of her shirt.

"Relax. We've been careful, right? This should go off without a hitch." Del patted Wren on the back in reassurance.

Wren took a deep breath and blew it out. "I know. I'm just nervous. I've never actually broken in anywhere before." She laughed nervously.

"We'll be fine." Del looked at her watch. It was almost midnight. "Okay, I gotta start heading to my post in a few. Gimme ten or so minutes to get there and get situated. Then, I'll tell the other guy on post with me that I forgot my keys or something and call back down here and ask you to bring them, alright? That'll give you the excuse to be out."

Wren nodded in agreement.

"Wait until exactly 12:25, then slip out and go straight down to her room. It shouldn't take you more than five minutes to get down there. Ahiga should start his rounds after turnover at 12:30. It'll take him about ten minutes to get around to where you will be. That gives you about a fifteen minute window. By then you should already be inside. Do you have all your stuff?"

Wren dug into her pockets. "Yeah, I think I have everything."

"Good. I'll be down the opposite hallway from Frost's room. I'll be able to see straight down the hall if I peek around the corner. If I see anything I'll give you the heads up. If that happens, get your butt outta there as fast as you can and get back here."

"Trust me. I will." Wren gave Del a nervous smile.

"Alright, I'm gone. I'll talk to you in a few. Be careful." Del winked at Wren and slipped out the door to report for duty.

Wren sank down onto her bed to await Del's call. "I must be out of my goddamn mind." She took a deep breath and tried to control her wildly beating heart.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wren jumped when the phone rang. She picked up the receiver and placed it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Wren, its Del. Silly me, I forgot my set of duty keys. Think you can run them down to me?" Del was obviously speaking in front of whomever was on watch with her.

"12:25?" Wren asked, her stomach was churning.

"Yep, they're on top of my dresser." Del paused. "Thanks! You're the best!"

The line went dead in Wren's ear as Del hung up. Wren placed the receiver back in it's cradle and glanced at her watch. "Five minutes." She pulled a dark, long sleeved shirt over the one she was wearing. She went to her mirror and arranged her hair into a bun. She glanced at her watch again before she stepped out the door and slipped down the hall.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The trip to Frost's room seemed to take much longer than it should have. A look at Wren's watch told her that it took no longer than usual. Wren chalked it up to her being nervous beyond words. As far as she could tell, Del had done an excellent job of timing their little adventure. The halls were dark and silent. There was no indication that anyone other than herself was out and about. For that, Wren was grateful.

She reached Frost's door and looked around herself uneasliy as she fished the lock pick out of her pocket. She winced as the pick clinked against the doorknob as she slid it into the lock. Wren stood absolutely motionless as the sound seemed to echo unnaturally loud in abandoned cooridor. When she felt satisfied that no one had noticed the noise she continued to push the lockpick into the keyhole with shaking hands. She jiggled the lockpick around a bit and breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the tell tale sound of the tumblers falling into place. She looked at her watch. It was 12:35. She was running right on time. She carefully turned the knob and pushed the door open. She stepped inside quickly, shutting the door quietly behind her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wren and Del had planned very carefully for their little recon mission. They had been detailed in their preparation. However, despite all their preparation, there was one thing that they couldn't have forseen. That thing happened to be Sub Zero's sudden bout of insomnia. For some reason, sleep had alluded the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei tonight.

Sub Zero stood, wearing only a pair of light blue pajama pants and staring absently out his window at the violently swirling snow. His body was telling him there was a terrible snowstorm coming. His hands tingled most uncomfortably as they always did when the weather outside became this bad. He rubbed his palms against his thighs to try to lessen the sensation to no avail. That, however, was only part of the reason he was finding sleep to be difficult tonight.

He turned away from the window and crossed the room to sit back on the edge of his bed. In addition to his discomfort, he had entirely too much on his mind. His thoughts kept returning again and again to Wren. For some reason or another he just couldn't get her out of his head tonight and that bothered him.

It seemed to him that ever since he had begun to work with Wren on her kori abilities he felt closer to her. He had at first assumed that the emotions he felt must be similar to that of a father witnessing their child grow and develop. He had written it off such and tried to forget about it. However, there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind that feared that his ever growing sense of attachment to Wren was anything but paternal. This voice both excited him and made him feel guilty at the same time.

He was more worried about the fact that Wren remained extremely skittish around him. He would cringe inwardly everytime she would flinch when he would come near her or jump when he would speak to her. It bothered him more than anything else that she still didn't seem to trust him. He had tried every way he knew, within reason, to reassure her and gain her confidence. He didn't know what else to do. It was this uncertainty about how to proceed coupled with his conflicting emotions that had kept him up the past few nights until well into the morning.

He looked to the clock on the nightstand next to his bed. It was just after 12:30. He sighed. There was one thing that might possibly bore him enough to maybe allow him to get a little sleep tonight. He stood and slipped out of his pajama pants and started to get dressed. He would head down to his office and go over some of the end of the month reports. Nothing was guaranteed to be so boring and tedious as that. He smiled to himself. If that didn't put him to sleep, nothing would.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wren flicked on the pen light and shone it around the room. It was huge compared to the room she and Del shared. "Damn room! This is totally posh!" Wren slapped a hand over her mouth. Stealth obviously wasn't her strong point. She waited to make sure no one had heard her exclamation before venturing further into the room and having a look around.

As her light played over the room, she noticed a large, comfortable looking bed pushed into one corner of the room as well as a very comfy looking armchair. On the opposite wall, there was a beautiful, large wooden writing desk and chair. A couple heavy bookshelves near the door held various reading material and some knick knacks. There was a door on the far side of the room leading to what Wren assumed was the bathroom. On the same side of the room was a set of folding doors, which Wren recognized as the closet.

"_You can tell a lot about a woman by whats in her bathroom...so I guess I'll start there_.' Wren slinked across the room, slipped inside the bathroom, and shut the door. She flipped on the light only to almost have a heart attack when the exhaust fan came roaring to life. She almost tripped over herself trying to shut the light back off. She stood with her back against the door, panting with her blood thundering in her ears.

"This was so such a bad idea. I'm gonna kill Del when I get outta here." Wren swiped her hand down her face and pushed off the door. She turned her pen light back on. The bathroom was also huge compared to the one Wren shared with Del. Wren made quick work of looking through the items kept in here. Shampoo, soap, towels, a hairdryer, other toiletries, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Yuck! Who would actually wear this crap?" Wren had opened the small medicine cabinet to find Frost's stash of bright blue eyeshadow. "That is so not cute...not at all." She shut the cabinet gently.

Finally satisfied that there was nothing else to see in the bathroom, Wren exited back into the bedroom and turned her attention to the nearby closet. She held her breath as she opened the door, half expecting a saran wrapped body to tumble out on her. When that didn't happen, she set to work examining the contents of the closet.

Wren wrinkled her nose in distaste as she pulled out a hanger holding one of Frost's Lin Kuei uniforms and stifled a giggle. "Eww...definitely NOT my style..." She put the uniform back and kept looking. There really wasn't anything very interesting in the closet either just some clothes and shoes. Giving up her search of the closet, she sighed and shut the door.

"Bookcase." Wren crossed the room and let her light play over the titles on the shelf. One book seemed terribly out of place amongst the others which consisted of english literature and poetry. "Geez..." Wren picked up the book about improvised anti-personel devices and other equally disturbing subjects. There were a couple pages in the book marked. She flipped the book open to the first marked page. "Subtle death?" She flipped to the next marked page. "Disposal? Creepy...she must have really gotten tired of reading Chaucer." Wren put the book back and looked over the rest of the titles. Nothing else seemed to jump out at her.

Wren turned her attention to the nightstand near Frost's bed. On top of the nightstand was a lamp and a framed photograph. Wren picked up the picture and looked at it. In the middle of the photo was a woman she assumed was Frost. "Well, she is very pretty...aside from the bright blue eyeshadow..." She returned the photo to its resting place. Maybe she would find something of interest in the drawers.

Wren pulled open the top drawer and her eyes lit up. "Jackpot!" Wren saw a book that she instantly recognized as some sort of journal. She grabbed the book without even opening it and stuck it under her shirt. "A little light reading for later. I'm sure Del would LOVE to get a peek at this." Wren suppressed a giggle.

Wren suddenly heard footsteps coming down the hallway. The sound startled her and she shut the drawer quickly, accidentally knocking the framed picture to the floor. It landed on the ground by her feet with a soft thud. Wren's breath caught in her throat as the footsteps stopped directly in front of the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sub Zero yawned as he strode down the hall. Just thinking about going over the reports was beginning to make him feel the slightest bit tired. He held in another yawn and stretched a little as he continued down the hall. He halted suddenly as a slight noise caught his attention. It sounded like something had fallen. Normally, he wouldn't have paid much attention to such a small noise coming from someone's room, but this noise happened to come from Frost's old room. A room that should have been empty. He stopped and listened carefully for any other sound of movement from with in.

.OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Del was anxious. She kept nonchalantly peeking around the corner from her post to make sure Wren's path of escape was clear. So far their plan had worked perfectly. Del hadn't seen another soul except for her fellow guardsmen on watch. Del was eager to see what Wren had found in Frost's room. She wanted to hear all the juicy details.

Del smiled to herself. This really had been so very easy. All it took was some good planning. Del looked at her watch and took another peek around the corner and suddenly saw something that made her blood run cold. The Grandmaster was standing very still right outside the door to Frost's room.

_'OH MY GOD!!! He is NOT supposed to be out at this time...He is NEVER out at this time. Oh geez...Wren...what am I gonna do???' _Del's heart was in her throat.

Del watched with horror as he reached toward the door to open it. There was no way for her to get to Wren now to warn her. This was not good...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wren heard the slight sound of the doorknob turning and did the first thing that came to her mind. She dropped to the ground and rolled quickly under the bed. She pressed herself all the way back against the wall and held her breath. She listened, petrified, as the door opened. From her hiding place, she could just make out the sillouette of someone standing in the doorway. '_OH MY GOD!!! ITS HIM! ITS HIM! ITS HIM! I'M SO GONNA DIE! PLEASE GOD LET IT BE OVER QUICKLY! I DON'T WANT TO SUFFER!' _Wren had never been a very religious person, but at that very minute she started praying...hard.

'_The door should be locked...' _Sub Zero glanced around the room. He stepped inside and gently shut the door, not bothering to turn on the lights. He couldn't see anyone in the darkness, but he could feel the presence of another nearby. He crossed the room and silently opened the bathroom door. There was no one in there. '_I know someone is in here...' _The closet door was slightly ajar. He looked inside. Nothing. As he continued to look around, his eyes fell upon something lying on the floor. '_Frost's picture...I guess that only leaves one place left for someone to hide...'_ An bitterly cold expression crossed his face. '_Whoever you are, I guarantee you won't make the mistake of disturbing this room again...' _He felt the rage growing inside of him. Who would dare to come in here? He stood there motionless for only a moment before focusing all of his attention and anger on whoever was hiding under the bed.

End of Chapter 18

**Dun-dun-dun!!! Don't you just love cliff hangers?!?!** **Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to leave off here for a couple weeks...got a lot of places to go and people to see. Muwhahahahaha! Sorry!!! See ya soon! **


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: I'm back (well not really, I'm still gone, but was thrilled to find out the place I'm at has internet service, its so far out in the boonies I didn't think it would...its crappy, but it works)!!! I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter. I hated to leave off there, but didn't really think I had a choice. I'm glad I did decide to bring my laptop with me, now I can post the next chappie! So you people (you know who you are) can stop sending me hate mail telling me how horrible I am for leaving off where I did, lol. I would also like to direct your attention to the fact that "Untitled" now has a title. Thank You KombatLady!!! You Rock! So, without any further delay, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mortal Kombat, but I wish I owned some of the yummy guys that are in it.**

Wren barely suppressed a shriek of terror as one large, cold hand closed around her ankle and pulled her from under the bed with enough force that she was sure her hip had been ripped out of socket. She suddenly found herself flat on her back and pinned to the floor under the considerable weight of her sifu. She pushed against his muscular chest with all her strength in a vain attempt to free herself. She opened her mouth to try to speak or scream but her words, and oxygen, were cut off as a hand constricted tightly around her throat. Wren felt the bones in her neck grind together painfully as she tried to twist out of his grasp.

In the darkness of the room, Sub Zero was only vaguely aware of the feminine shape of the body pinned beneath his. In the heat of his anger, he really didn't care who was trapped under him. It didn't matter. He would make whomever dared to desecrate this room sorry the thought had ever crossed their mind. He would not allow them to spoil the only thing he had left of Frost, his last reminder that she had been here at all. He listened with some small degree of satisfaction to the tiny choking sounds the person under him made as he continued to slowly apply more and more pressure to their windpipe.

Wren's lungs screamed for air as she fought to remain conscious. She grimly took note that what little vision she had in the darkness was beginning to blur and run together around the edges. Her struggles were becoming less and less frantic as she began to resign herself to the fact that she was going to die at the hands of her teacher. Her arms were beginning to feel heavy as her body became deprived of oxygen. She stopped pushing against Sub Zero's chest and let her fatigued arms drop back down to her sides. There was no point in fighting the inevitable, she decided. She felt nothing as the room around her faded into complete and total darkness.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Del hadn't even realized that she was moving until she had already sprinted halfway down the hall. The only thought in her head was to reach Wren in time to try prevent anything bad from happening. She came skidding to a halt in front of Frost's door and flung it open. She groped along the wall beside the door until she located the light switch. She flipped the switch on, flooding the room with light. Del was overcome by the horror of the scene being played out in front of her. She screamed. "STOP...NO!!!"

As Sub Zero's eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, he was horrified to find this fingers wrapped tightly around Wren's throat. Her eyes were half-lidded and glassy. Her lips had turned an alarming shade of blue. She had ceased to make any type of sound at all. He immediately released his grip on her and rocked back to sit on his heels. "What the...Wren? WREN?!" He noted with growing alarm that she was lying entirely too still.

Del scrambled across the room and dropped to the ground next to her friend. "Oh my god...Wren..." Leaning over her, Del tried to shake Wren back into consciousness. "Please wake up, Wren...Get up please...I'm sorry..." Del's words became unintelligible as they trailed off into choked sobs.

'_I've killed her...' _The thought hit Sub Zero like a bolt of lightening. A wave of panic swept over him. "No...No, no, no, no." He felt like he was going to vomit. "Delilah, move." He shoved Del out of the way roughly and moved to straddle Wren's hips once again. Sub Zero took a deep breath, and without any hesitation, covered Wren's mouth with his own and forced the air back into her lungs. He prayed silently to himself as he continued to try to breathe life back into his student. It seemed to him that ages passed before he was finally rewarded for his efforts as a weak cough escaped from between Wren's lips.

"Wren!" The sound immediately brought Del out of her shock. She started to crawl back across the floor toward her friend. Sub Zero held a hand out to stop her from coming any closer and she halted instantly.

Sub Zero pulled Wren into a sitting position and cradled her in his arms as she struggled to suck in some precious air. "Come on, Wren. Breathe...thats my girl." Overwhelming relief flooded through him as she began to stir slightly and the color began to return to her face. "You're okay, you're fine..." He needed to get her off the floor. He gently lifted Wren as he stood and transferred her onto the bed. He sat down on the edge next to her. "Delilah, run down to the infirmary and have someone come down here immediately."

Delilah nodded and jumped to her feet. She ran out the door and down the corridor as fast as her legs could carry her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

'_Am I dead?'_ Wren's head felt fuzzy. She was lying on something soft. She struggled to open her eyes. Her vision was blurry. She was struck by a sudden sense of confusion. _'What happened? Where the hell am I?'_ A sharp pain shot through her neck as she attempted to look around herself. She groaned. '_I didn't think being dead would hurt this much...'_

Wren could make out three figures in the room with her. One figure was sitting on the edge of whatever she was lying on with a hand splayed across her abdomen. The person seemed to be listening with rapt attention to whatever the second person standing by her head was carrying on about. All Wren could comprehend was something about "minor soft tissue damage" and that she would "have no ill effects" and should be "as good as new in a couple days."

'_Well...isn't that nice to know...' _Wren thought to herself. '_I guess I'm not dead after all.' _She tried to focus on the last figure standing near the doorway. This person seemed to be terribly upset about something based on the sniffling and crying Wren could hear coming from them. Wren wondered briefly what could be causing them so much grief before her attention was dragged back to the two people closest to her.

"Sir, I assure you that she will be fine. Give it a day or two. If it would make you feel any better I could have her moved to the infirmary." The doctor looked down at Wren. "I don't think swelling is going to be a problem, and she's breathing fine. Good, strong pulse. There will definitely be some bruising and she will be groggy for a bit, but otherwise no worse for the wear. I will keep an eye on her tonight, though, if it will give you some peace of mind." The doctor looked back at Sub Zero. "If you don't mind my saying, Sir, you look like you could use some rest yourself."

Sub Zero shook his head. "No. I am responsible for her. I appreciate your concern, but I would feel better if I looked after her myself."

From the doorway, Del's eyes widened with concern. "NO!"

Sub Zero looked at her in surprise. He had been so wrapped up in making sure that Wren was going to be alright that he had forgotten Del was even in the room. "Delilah, go to your room. There's nothing left for you to do here."

The last thing Del wanted to do was leave her friend alone with the man who had only a few moments before been squeezing the life out of her. "Please, sir, let me take her back to our room. She's my friend...I'll take care of..."

"GO NOW!" Sub Zero bellowed the words out sounding more harsh than he intended, sending a frightened Del running out of the room in tears. He watched her go with some regret. He shouldn't have screamed at her. She was only concerned for the wellbeing of her friend.

As Wren's vision slowly began to clear the first thing she saw was the face of her sifu looking back down at her. All that happened suddenly came rushing back to her, the search of Frost's room, footsteps in the hall, hiding under the bed. Most vivid was the memory of the crushing weight of her teacher on top of her as his hand tightened around her throat. Her fight or flight response kicked in as the memory returned. She needed to get away. She struggled desperately to get up, but the cold hand on her stomach pushed against her with just enough force to keep her from rising.

"Relax, Wren. Calm down. Everything's fine. You're fine." Sub Zero did his best to speak to her in a calming tone. "Please...just be still. Let the doctor finish his work."

'_Fine?! You just tried to kill me...'_ Wren began to struggle again with a renewed vigor, her desperation to escape intensifying. "Get your hands off me! Don't touch me! Let me go!" Wren felt she was teetering on the edge of going into hysterics. She clawed frantically at the hand that held her down.

"Wren, please. I'm not going to hurt you...I would never...I didn't mean..." Sub Zero looked from Wren back to the doctor, a pained expression on his face. The doctor nodded.

Wren suddenly felt a sharp pinch on her upper arm as a warm, relaxing sensation slowly washed over. Her arms and legs ceased to respond to her commands. She was no longer in control of herself. All the fight left her body as her limbs began to relax against her wishes. She realized with a growing sense of horror that she had just been drugged and there was nothing she could do about it. She was now trapped and unable to fend for herself.

"There. That should do the trick. I've given her a sedative. It should keep her out for the rest of the night. If she wakes up in the morning in any type of discomfort, you can give her one of these. I imagine she will be a little sore." The doctor pulled a small bottle of red pills out of his pocket and placed them on the nightstand next to the bed. "If anything else should arise that concerns you, don't hesitate to send for me."

"Thank you." Sub Zero's eyes never left Wren's face as the doctor turned, exited the room, and shut the door behind him.

"Uh wunnn guh hmm...eh dunn." Wren tried to form words, but her speech came out garbled as the tranquilizer took hold. She made one last, weak attempt at sitting up, but found that her body felt like it was made of lead. She gave up and lay still. She fought with all her might to keep her eyes open. It was a battle she was rapidly losing much to her dismay.

"Shhh, Wren. Just relax." He was stroking her head lovingly with a sad look in his eyes. "There will be more than enough time to talk later. You need to rest now. Everything is going to be okay. Close your eyes." He continued to run his fingers through her hair in a soothing manner.

"Nnnn..." Wren wanted to protest, to scream, to pull herself away from his touch, but was soon overwhelmed by the effects of the drug. Her eyes had become so heavy that she could no longer keep them open and they fluttered closed as she finally succumbed to sleep.

Sub Zero sat on the side of the bed for a long time just watching her breathe and basking in the fact that she was alive. His eyes wandered down from her face to her neck, where a very angry looking bruise in the shape of his hand was quickly becoming visible. '_She has such a delicate neck...an ounce more pressure or a wrong flick of the wrist...all the mouth to mouth in the world wouldn't have brought her back...' _He didn't want to think about that now. It caused him actual physical pain to think of what he might have done. There was no acceptable excuse for what had happened. He let his hand slowly trail down the side of her face to her neck to survey the damage.

He cringed as he noted the extent of the injury. It looked absolutely terrible. He let his cool fingers graze over the soft, smooth skin of her throat. He could feel her pulse beating softly against his finger tips as he gently traced the outline of the bruise forming there. He had done some shockingly horrific things to people in his lifetime before he had made a change for the better, but none of those things bothered him half as much as what he had done to Wren. He believed that he couldn't possibly hate himself any more than he did at this very moment as he examined the marks he had left on her neck. He sighed and turned his attention back to her face. She looked so peaceful and beautiful in her sleep, like she didn't have a care in the world. He new better. He brushed a bit of hair that had fallen over her eyes out of her face.

In the morning he and Wren would have to sit down and have a serious discussion, one that he dreaded more than anything. That is, if Wren didn't run away from him screaming first. He had gotten a mangled story about what had happened from Delilah as they had waited for the doctor to examine Wren's injuries. It was hard for him to understand everything Del was going on about as she spoke between ragged sobs, but he had heard enough to get a pretty good idea of what had actually transpired. This was somehow his fault, he knew that beyond a doubt. There were major issues that desperately needed to be addressed. It couldn't be put off any longer. He stood from his seat next to Wren on the edge of the bed and quietly crossed the room. He secured the door and flipped the lights back off, plunging the room back into blackness.

He made his way back to the bed and carefully crawled over Wren to lie on the other side of her nearest the wall. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her. He could just barely make out her features in the darkness. He reached out with his other arm and pulled her into a protective embrace. He tenderly placed a hand on her chest just over her heart. The steady rise and fall of her breathing and the slow, rhythmic pounding of her heart beneath his hand reassuring him once again that she was, in fact, very much alive.

He bent his head down slightly and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Wren...You have no idea how truly sorry I am. I don't know whats been wrong with me. I didn't want it to be this way. This isn't right." His voice was barely a whisper. "This never should have happened. This is my fault. Smoke was right. This hasn't been fair to either of us." He paused a moment. "I promise to make things better...if you're willing to give it another chance. If it's not already too late." He brushed his lips gently across her forehead once more before lying back and tucking her head beneath his chin.

As he lay there with his arms wrapped around Wren, breathing in the fresh scent of her hair, it suddenly struck him how fast things had changed. A little over an hour ago, he had entered this room, the only thought in his head was that of preserving Frost's memory and punishing whomever thought to disturb it. Now, here he was, in Frost's old room, in Frost's old bed, holding a woman in his arms who most definitely wasn't Frost, and it didn't bother him at all. If only the circumstances that brought them together in this place had been different, he might actually have felt some joy in being this close to her. Instead, he was full of guilt and regret that he had hurt her. He planned to spend as much time as necessary to try to make that up to her if she would only let him. He prayed she would.

He dreaded what would happen in the morning with an aching heart. If nothing else, he thought, he had this moment to hold Wren and tell her how sorry he was about everything, even if she was unconscious. All he could do is hope his words had somehow gotten through to her. Exhaustion creeped up on him suddenly. He pulled Wren a little tighter to his chest, wrapping his arms around her more securely, before finally closing his own eyes and falling asleep.

End of Chapter 19

**Well...that could have ended very badly...it could still end badly I suppose. I guess it all depends on if Wren will be in the forgiving mood when she comes to. Oh, poor Subby. He's got it rough. Anyways...I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. I WANNA GO HOME!!!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note: I can't believe I have written 20 chapters worth of this crap (yes, it is crap) and you guys are still reading it, lol. I love you guys! **

**On a side note...if anyone ever tells you that it would be fun to go hang out at a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere for two weeks, tell them no. This place is really creeping me out. I'm ready to go home now. I'm bored out of my mind. I have nothing better to do than sit around and write this stuff, lol. **

**Disclaimer: Nope. **

Wren lingered in the place just between asleep and being awake. She shivered as her still sleeping mind recalled the terrible dream she had experienced. It had been truly frightening beyond anything she had ever experienced. She had never been more thankful when that dream finally faded to be replaced with one that was much more pleasant. It was that pleasantness she still found herself in now and she was reluctant to wake up and have it vanish.

Wren snuggled in closer to the body beside her and felt the arms around her tighten ever so slightly. A small sigh of contentment escaped her in her half sleeping, half awake state. She had never had a dream that felt this real and tangible before. She could hear the steady, comforting thud of someone's heart as she rested her head on their chest. She could feel the soft scratch of the material that separated their skin from hers against her cheek if she moved her head slightly. Breathing deeply, she took in the deliciously masculine scent of the person beside her. It was a smell that reminded her instantly of her sifu.

Her sifu? The thought caused some degree of alarm within Wren's sluggish brain. He had been in that horrific dream she had. In that dream he had been so angry. She could feel him pressing down on her so hard that she couldn't even breathe. She had never known such intense fear before. She shuddered a little at the memory and felt the person beside her shift slightly as they mumbled her name sleepily and pulled her closer.

Of course, she thought lazily, he had been in the other dream she had also. In that dream she had felt almost like she had been floating. The feeling had initially caused her some distress, but that had been shortlived. Then, as if sensing her apprehension, he had been there. He had held her and comforted her. He had whispered softly into her ear that everything would be okay. The way he had spoken to her had sounded so sincere and she had wanted so badly to believe what he was telling her was true.

As Wren drifted closer to consciousness, she noted that something beneath her was poking painfully into her ribs. She wiggled around a bit, trying to get comfortable again, reluctant as she was to leave the security of the dream she was having. It was no use. The object continued to uncomfortably jab into her side. Regretfully, Wren's eyes slowly opened.

Wren gasped as she became instantly and fully awake. It had been no dream. She found herself curled up against Sub Zero, wrapped in his embrace with her head resting on his chest. She remembered now. She had been snooping in Frost's room and he had discovered her in here and had tried to kill her. But why, she wondered, was he with her now? Had the other half of her dream been real also or had it been drug induced? She couldn't know for sure. As she assessed her situation, her very first instinct was to jump up and run screaming down the hall. She managed to suppress the urge, barely.

Carefully, she lifted her head to look up at him. She hissed as a jolt of pain went through her neck. She sqeezed her eyes shut until the feeling passed. Slowly reopening them, she noted with great relief that he was still asleep. If she had her way, she wouldn't be around when he decided to wake up. She didn't know where she would go, but she sure as hell didn't plan on spending another second more here than she had to. Her mind kicked into gear then, trying to figure out a way to get out of the situation she was in.

She cautiously moved her left arm from where it rested across his stomach and reached between their bodies to retrieve whatever she was lying on. Shifting her weight slightly, she was able to pull the object out from under her. It was a book. It wasn't just any book, it was Frost's journal. She remembered finding it just prior to what she thought was quite possibly the worst experience of her entire life. She put the journal to the side. She hadn't even gotten to take a look at what it contained. At this point, she really couldn't have cared less. It wasn't going to be her problem anymore. She was getting the hell out of here.

She gently shrugged off the arm that he had wrapped around her shoulders, letting it drop back to the bed behind her. She then carefully removed his other arm around her waist, draping it across his own stomach. Slowly, she rolled away from him to lay flat on her back. She lay absolutely still until she could be certain he hadn't been disturbed, before pushing herself up into a sitting position.

Wren's hands immediately flew to her head as a wave of dizziness hit her. Her neck throbbed in time to the beat of her heart. Once the dizziness passed, she gently prodded her aching throat with her fingers, wincing at the pain it caused. She vaugely recalled someone else stroking her neck as they whispered to her over and over how sorry they were. She looked back at Sub Zero who still seemed to be sleeping soundly. Had it been him? Did it matter? She shook her head. She didn't believe any amount of being sorry could ever rectify what had happened. Although, she admitted to herself, she was probably as much at fault as he was.

Silently, she swung her legs over the side of the bed to put her feet on the floor. She sighed as she looked across the room to the door. As crappy as she felt at the moment, it may as well be miles away. She took one last look back at a sleeping Sub Zero before unsteadily getting to her feet. Wren took the first step and was immediately hit with a sharp pain that radiated from her right hip all the way down her leg. Groaning, she dropped to her knees with a thud. She would crawl out of here if she had to.

Sub Zero was up and awake instantly at the sound. "Wren!" He was immediately at her side, trying to help her back up.

"Get away from me!" Wren batted his hands away. "Don't touch me!"

"Please...let me help you..." Sub Zero managed to work one arm around her waist and pulled her with him to a standing position.

"NO! I don't want your help. Leave me alone." Wren could feel tears burning in her eyes as she struggled against him.

"Wren, please..." His voice sounded tense. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Then let me go!" Wren was crying now. She drew one arm back to hit him.

He saw her intent and caught her arm in mid air, twisting her around to where her back was against his chest. He put both of his arms around her, effectively pinning her arms to her sides as she continued to kick and thrash. He a couple steps back toward the bed until he could feel the edge behind him. He sat down, a still struggling Wren nestled between his thighs. "Relax, Wren. Please." This was almost as bad as he imagined it would be. "Stop fighting me and I'll let you go..."

Wren ceased her struggles immediately. She tried to relax as much as the tension in her body would allow. "Okay..." She did her best to control the waivering of her voice. "I've stopped, now let me go...Please." She added the last as an afterthought.

Sub Zero loosened his hold on her slightly, but still kept a firm grip. "Does anything hurt?" The concern in his voice was evident.

"You said you would let me go!" Wren felt fresh tears forming in her eyes.

"And I will, after I'm done speaking with you." He took a deep breath. "Are you in any pain?"

"No." Wren's hip and neck throbbed together painfully in unison.

It was a lie and he knew it. "Wren?"

"I said no." Her words came hissing out from between clenched teeth.

Sub Zero nodded. He wanted to give her something to relieve her discomfort, but didn't want to press the issue and make matters worse. "Okay." He turned his thoughts to other matters. He didn't even know where to start. "We need to talk about what happened."

"There isn't anything to talk about. I know what happened, I don't need you to recap it for me." Wren wondered if anyone would come to her aid if she screamed for help. She truly doubted it.

"Oh, we have plenty we need to talk about." He felt he desperately needed to apologize. "Wren, there aren't even words for how sorry I am about...everything. I...care about you. I brought you here and I'm responsible for what happens to you. I need you to know that I would never want to intentionally do anything that would hurt you, but I have and that is unacceptable."

Wren sat completely motionless. "What do you want from me?"

He closed his eyes and took a shaking breath. "Just listen." The next words he spoke pained him. "When I'm done I'll make the arrangements for you to go home, if you so desire."

Wren perked up at the offer, but was still suspicious. "Do you swear?"

He nodded sadly. "I do."

End of Chapter 20

**In the next chapter...Will Sub Zero finally spill his guts? Will Wren forgive him or will she take him up on his offer to send her home? What about Frost's journal? Will Voodoo ever leave this god forsaken wilderness and return to the comfort of her own home? Stay tuned!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: IT IS SOOO GOOD TO BE HOME!!! Sorry I haven't updated sooner. I was getting over the trauma of being stranded in the woods, lol. I hope you guys enjoy the next chappie!**

**Disclaimer: I claim nothing!**

Sub Zero was still perched on the edge of the bed with Wren securely in his grasp. She was so incredibly tense. He was afraid that if he released her she would bolt. He wasn't sure how well she could move with the injury to her hip, but the last thing he wanted to have to do was chase her back down if that happened. It would only make matters worse. Their current position, however, his arms pinning Wren's to her sides while she was wedged between his thighs, made having a truly civilized conversation almost impossible. He wanted to be able to look her in the eyes as he spoke to her so he could at the very least see that she was taking in some of the things he needed to tell her.

"Wren?"

"What?" Wren's voice even sounded tense and strained.

He sighed. "I'm going to let go of you now. We're going to get out of here and go somewhere more...comfortable. Promise me you won't try to run from me. We really need to talk and I don't want to have to catch you again...and I'm sure you don't want that either. Alright?"

"Whatever." Wren just wanted to get whatever was going to happen over with. She was praying he would keep his word and let her go home after he said whatever he had to say to her.

Sub Zero felt strangely alone as he released his hold on Wren and she pulled away from him to stand. She wobbled a little on her feet due to the pain in her leg. He reached out to steady her but she pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine. I don't need...or want...your help." Wren took a tentative step forward and clenched her teeth together as the pain shot down her leg once again. "Goddamn it!"

He couldn't remember ever feeling so miserable as he watched her try to make her way to the door. Ignoring her protests, Sub Zero looped an arm around her waist to help support her. "You aren't going to get very far without some kind of assistance. Let me help you."

Realizing he was probably right, Wren reluctantly leaned into him to take some of the weight off her hip. She let him help her out the door and into the hall. "Where are we going?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye as he shut the door behind them. "My quarters."

Wren didn't like the sound of that. "Why?"

He was hurt by the look of mistrust on her face. "Because its closer. I don't think you're in any shape to make the hike all the way to my office."

Wren nodded. She didn't think she had much choice in the matter. She was more or less at his mercy. She would have to go wherever he took her. She groaned a little as he put an arm back around her and led her down the hall.

The Lin Kuei temple was always most busy in the mornings. The halls were bustling with people. Sub Zero and Wren were greeted with many curious stares and whispers as they made their way down the cooridor. Wren might have found it funny if she hadn't been so miserable. '_We must be quite a site.'_ Wren knew she probably looked like she had been ran over by a truck. Sub Zero didn't look much better. He looked weary and exhausted as he half carried her down the hall.

Finally arriving at their destination, Wren glanced around herself as Sub Zero led her through his private quarters. The formal area was lavishly decorated. Wren noted that most of the things he had in here looked incredibly old. She imagined that the Grandmasters before him had been collecting these things for years upon years. '_Some of these things must be worth an insane amount of money'_, she thought to herself. Under other circumstances, Wren would have been in awe of some of the antiquities that sat on display.

Sub Zero continued on until he brought her to a smaller, less formal looking room. This room looked much more personal and lived-in to Wren. There was a small leather sofa with a leather armchair flanking it on the right. A coffee table sat in front of the sofa with various papers and documents spread across its top. A floor to ceiling book case spanned one wall. Some of the books had migrated across the room to rest on the sofa.

Sub Zero pushed the books out of the way and gently lowered Wren onto the sofa. "Wait here. I'll be right back." He turned and left the room.

She watched him go. '_Like I really have a choice...'_ She could hear him rummaging around in the next room and then the sound of water running. She shook her head and picked up one of the books lying closest to her. She noticed that several of the articles inside had been marked. She opened the book to the first marked article. "Multiverse Cosomological Models and String Theory...sounds like some exciting stuff..."

She let the book drop back to the sofa and leaned her head back. Shutting her eyes, she tried to relax some of the tension out of her muscles. Her neck and shoulders were killing her. Thankfully, the pain in her hip had reduced itself to a dull throb. She wished he would hurry up. She was more than ready to take him up on his offer to let her go home. '_The sooner the better'_, she thought. Almost as if on cue, a gentle touch to her shoulder made Wren open her eyes.

"Here, take these. They'll make you feel better." He held out a glass of water in one hand and two small, white pills in the other. He watched her as she eyed the medication suspiciously. "It's only aspirin. There are other pills the doctor left you in Frost's room. They're probably a little stronger. If you think you need them..."

Wren cut him off. "Aspirin is fine." She took the pills out of his hand and popped them in her mouth, downing them quickly with a drink of the water. Setting the glass on the coffee table, she glared at him, waiting for him to continue with whatever he was going to do.

Sub Zero sat down carefully next to Wren on the sofa. There were so many things he wanted and needed to tell her. He would tell what he thought she would understand for now. He hoped and prayed he would have the opportunity to tell her the rest at a later date, if he ever saw her again after this was over.

"Well?" Wren felt herself growing impatient.

He took a deep breath. "Wren...I know sorry isn't good enough. I'm not making excuses for what happened. I just want you to listen and try to understand. I'm not asking for forgiveness, because frankly, I don't think I deserve it, but I do need you to know how much I regret everything that has happened. I would do anything in the world to make it up to you. Anything. You deserve so much more than what I have been able to give to you. My head hasn't been in the right place and we've both suffered for that."

Wren could hear the heartfelt sincerity in his words, but refused to acknowledge it. She kept her voice cold. "You brought me all the way in here to tell me this? If so, that was a big waste of both our time and effort."

"I brought you here so we could talk candidly and in private." He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck.

Wren sat forward a bit. "Then lets get to the point."

He nodded. "I'm going to be completely honest with you. I want you to be completely honest with me." He looked her directly in her eyes, fixing her with his gaze. "What were you doing in her room?"

Wren was caught off guard by the sudden question. "What?"

He dropped his eyes. "I'm not going to get upset. I just want to know why you were there."

Wren sighed and shook her head. He had more or less admitted his guilt. She may as well admit hers. "I was...I was looking for something."

He raised his gaze to hers again, curious. "Looking for what?"

Wren shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Something. Anything."

"Why?" He was really trying to understand what had led up to this point.

Wren looked at him with a completely serious expression. "Do you really want to know?"

Sub Zero leaned in a little closer to her. "Yes, I do."

Wren looked him dead in the eye. "Do you have any idea how unnerving it feels to walk around worried all the time that I'm going to piss you off and end up dead in a ravine somewhere?"

"What are you talking about?" Of all the things he expected her to say, this wasn't one of them.

Wren continued. "I have people approaching me on a daily basis telling me all these insane things that I really don't want to believe. People asking me all the time if I'm worried that whatever happened to Frost will happen to me. People asking me if I know what really happened to her. Then there's you. One minute everything is fine and the next you're looking at me like I've sprouted another head or storming off somewhere. It kind of got me starting to think about what if what people are saying is true. I decided to check it out myself. See what I could find. Obviously that wasn't the smartest decision I have ever made."

"What exactly have people been telling you, Wren?" He had known people would probably speculate, but he had never given much thought to what they might be saying. He felt a twinge of anger at the thought that they may have filled Wren's head full of imagined atrocities.

"Well," Wren paused and shook her head. "Everyone has a theory, but there seem to be two major schools of thought on the subject."

"Which are?" Sub Zero waited patiently for her to continue.

She took a deep breath. "Most people seem to agree that she was a little hard to handle. They think that she had finally pushed you to the point to where you couldn't deal with it anymore and...disposed of her. Then, there are others that believe that she ran off somewhere to give birth to your love child."

Sub Zero could have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious. "What do you think?"

Wren hesitated a moment and shrugged. "I'm not sure anymore." She brought a hand to her throat. "I suppose if I had to choose a story, I'd choose the second. At least in that version she's alive somewhere." She dropped her eyes to her lap.

"Oh, Wren..." He ran a hand down his face. "Look at me, please."

Wren slowly raised her eyes back to his.

"Wren..." He searched for the right words to begin. "I promise you that I didn't kill Frost."

His words meant little to Wren at the moment. "Then where is she?"

He looked sad. "I wish I knew."

"So what? She just ran off somewhere?" Wren was the slightest bit confused. The conversation seemed to be going nowhere.

"In a manner of speaking, yes, she did." He paused. "Wren...do you know how one becomes the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei?"

Wren was becoming annoyed. If she could walk, she would have gotten up and left. "I'm sure I have no idea, nor do I care. Is there a point to this?"

Sub Zero continued. "To become Grandmaster, one must challenge and defeat the current one. Usually, that means death for one of the parties involved either during or after the fact..."

"So...you had to what? Kill some guy to get your job?" Wren wasn't sure where he was going with this line of conversation.

He continued without answering her question. "By the time I became Grandmaster, the Lin Kuei had descended so far into corruption, the only choice I had was to completely dismantle it and put it back together. The process of weeding out the good from the bad drastically reduced the ranks. I needed to find new, worthy recruits to take their place, so I held a tournament. That is how I discovered Frost. She had some fierce fighting skills, and much to my delight, seemed to possess the same abilities you and I both share."

"So you took her as a student." Wren relaxed a little as the conversation seemed to get back on track.

Sub Zero nodded. "I did...and she was a wonderful student. Like you, she learned very quickly. She was very skilled, but headstrong. I just couldn't seem to get through to her. I had nearly completed training her when I was called away on some very important matters. I believed at the time that if she was made to face actual conflict, that she may gain a different perspective on life. So, I took her with me. She proved herself to be an invaluable asset, but didn't seem to gain anything from the experience." He paused his story to look at Wren.

"What happened?" Wren was genuinely curious now.

Sub Zero continued his tale. He told her of his involvement with the warriors of Earthrealm. He told her of Lord Raiden and the Mortal Kombat tournament. He spoke of the Deadly Alliance and how he had taken Frost with him on his mission. He explained everything in detail from the time the battle was over to the fateful moment where he found himself frozen to the ground unable to move as Frost ripped the Dragon Medallion from his chest and declared herself the new Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. Wren watched the various emotions that played over his features as he tried to convey what pure terror he felt as Frost was consumed by her own power. She listened, fascinated as he told her of the ruins he had found while looking for a suitable burial place for Frost's body and how later he had discovered that she was very much alive after she found her way back to the temple and the chaos that followed. When he had finally finished he dropped his gaze to the ground. All Wren found herself able to do was sit and stare at him.

He sighed as he looked back up into her eyes. "That is the truth, Wren. I swear it."

Wren nodded slightly. "I...believe you."

"I couldn't let anyone know what really happened. There are those that would call for her death for challenging the ruling authority, as is tradition. That isn't what I want. I've forgiven her. I blame myself." He hesitantly reached out and laid one of his hands on top of one of hers. She flinched slightly at the contact but to his relief, didn't pull her hand away. "I truly am so sorry. I don't even have the words to express how much I regret everything thats happened. I wanted it to be different between us. I didn't want to make the same mistakes with you. I just didn't expect things with you to be so...different." He released her hand and stood. He looked down at her sadly. "I imagine you'll want me to inform Master Xiong that you will be returning home soon. I'll help you back to your quarters and then I'll make arrangements. I'm sure Delilah is going out of her mind with worry."

Wren winced only slightly as he helped her to her feet. The aspirin he had given her had relieved much of her discomfort. As he led her toward the room exit, Wren stopped in her tracks. "Wait."

"What? Do you hurt?" Sub Zero worried that Wren's sudden halt was due to her condition and that she may be in some kind of pain. The concern was written all over his face.

Wren looked into his worried eyes for a moment before answering. "No. I'm fine. I was just wondering...if it would be possible for me to make a phone call first."

"A call?" Sub Zero looked at her questioningly, but knew that he would consent to whatever she wanted. "Certainly. Anything you wish." He redirected her back across the room and through another door and down a short hall and into another room. "There is a phone in here. It's satellite. You can call wherever you want."

Wren found herself standing in the middle of Sub Zero's bedroom of all places. She didn't have time to take in her surroundings further as he ushered her to a chair that sat near the bed and lowered her into it. He retrieved the phone from the bedside table and placed it on her lap.

He stepped away from her after giving her the phone and gave her a sad smile. "Talk as long as you want. When you're done or if you need anything, just call for me and I'll come help you. I'll be in the next room. There are some things I need to go over."

Wren nodded. "Thank you."

Sub Zero looked back for a moment before he left the room to see Wren still sitting there staring at the phone in her lap. He felt an aching in his chest at the prospect of sending her back from where she came. He knew how terrible it had been when he had lost Frost. This was different. He didn't want to know what it was going to feel like to be severed from Wren. He would arrange for her to go home, though, if that was what she wanted in order to be happy. He closed the door to give her some privacy and went down the hall to wait for her to call him.

End of Chapter 21

**Alright, kiddies...This chapter was starting to get a little wordy in my opinion, so I cut it short. I was starting to bore myself, lol. Anyways, I hope you are enjoying this little saga. Please read and give your opinion. I may not update for a little while due to the fact that I have another story rattling around in my head that I need to get out before it drives me insane...and I do mean INSANE!!! Happy reading!!!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note: Alright my little chickadees...I know its been a hot minute since I've updated this fic and for that I apologize. I had wrote this chapter and when I reread it...I didn't like it, so I started over (actually like three or four times, lol). Then I got frustrated with it and put it off to the side until Yaya Hatake came along and poked me to make sure I was still alive. Thanks Yaya!!! You gave me the prod I needed to get back on track! So, I've finally got my rewrite done for this chapter! It is a little short. I actually have the next chapter written also, its just been sitting on my computer. I'll try to post it soon. I hope ya dig it!**

**Disclaimer: Silly rabbit, Voodoo doesn't own MK!**

Wren sat staring at the phone that rested in her lap. She wasn't sure exactly who she intended to call. The request had been more or less a way to buy her some time to mull over her predicament. She felt torn. She really didn't want to be here in this place, but the thought of leaving and returning home, as tempting as it was, left her feeling rather sad in some strange way. After what had occured between her and her sifu, she knew she should probably be chomping at the bit to go home, but listening to Sub Zero's version of events had made her feel less compelled to flee from the Lin Kuei temple despite recent occurances. She couldn't really explain it, but if she left, she felt almost as if she would be abandoning him.

Wren picked up the receiver and automatically punched in a number that she knew by heart. She pressed the phone to her ear and listened to the ringing on the other end of the line. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to who ever picked up but she needed to hear a familiar voice right now.

The ringing was suddenly cut off as the phone was picked up on the other end. "Hello?"

Wren's voice hitched in her throat. She felt tears burning in her eyes at the sound of Misato's voice. She hadn't realized how badly she had missed her friend/sister.

"Hello? Anybody there?" Misato sounded a bit irritated that no one was answering her.

"M-Misato?" Wren's voice was almost a whisper.

Misato instantly recognized the voice on the other end of the line. "Wren?! Oh my God! Where are you? Are you okay?"

Wren suddenly felt all of her frustration and unease work its way out of her body in the form of a strangled sob. The tears began to flow freely down her face as her slim body shook with the intensity of her crying. She could hear barely hear Misato's concerned voice in the background over the sound of her own ragged breathing. After what seemed like several minutes, Wren tried her best to pull herself back together.

Misato waited until her friend had calmed herself. "Wren, what happened? Tell me what's wrong."

"Everything is wrong..." Wren sighed. "I- I don't even know...I'm so confused. This place...its...I don't know."

"Wren?" Misato gently prodded her friend to try to get her to open up. "Please...what happened? If you tell me, maybe I can help...or Grandfather...Please?"

Wren took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She needed to get it all out. If she couldn't talk honestly with Misato, she couldn't speak honestly with anyone. Her shoulders sagged wearily as she began to relate to Misato everything that had happened since the time she had left their home and gotten into the car with the Grandmaster until the present. She left nothing out. By the time she had finished, she had to admit that she felt better. It was almost as if a gigantic weight had been lifted off her chest.

Misato was silent on the other end of the line. She was still trying to absorb everything Wren had told her. The one thing that stuck out in her mind that she couldn't get passed with the fact that the so-called Grandmaster had nearly killed her friend. She wanted to scream at Wren for even remotely entertaining the idea of remaining in that place for another instant. She was seething inside.

"Misato? Are you still there?"

"Wren...you need to come home. Now. Take him up on his offer and get the hell out of there before something else happens!" The seriousness in Misato's voice left no room for argument.

Wren sighed. "I know, but..."

Misato was incredulous. "But what?! I can't believe this! He tried to kill you!"

"I was someplace I probably shouldn't have been...and after it happened he was so concerned..." Wren couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. She had hoped by speaking with Misato would have given her the push she needed to pack up her things and leave. Instead, she was surprised to find herself defending the man that had put her in this situation.

"I don't care! It happened and all the sorry in the world isn't going to make it better or undo it. He could have KILLED you, Wren! What happens the next time you snoop around somewhere you shouldn't? What then?" If Misato could have reached through the phone and slapped Wren, she would have.

"I don't think it'll happen again..." Wren spoke the words with more confidence than she actually felt.

"You don't know that! For the love of God! Those people are a bunch of assassins and theives! Grandfather never should have allowed you to go with him in the first place. You need to get the hell out of that place and come home." Misato was becoming exasperated.

"Misato...I..I don't think I can leave right now..." Wren felt like banging her head against the wall. What was she doing? All she had wanted since arriving in this place was to go home. Now, she found herself hesitant to do so. Perhaps, she thought, in the time she had been here, her devotion to her sifu had become greater than even she was aware. Was that possible? "I'm sorry. I-I just can't. Not yet. Give Xiong my love. I miss you guys...Goodbye." Wren could hear Misato screaming her name on the other end of the line as she returned the phone to its cradle.

Wren struggled to her feet. The pain in her hip was lessened by the aspirin Sub Zero had given her, but was still sore none-the-less. She limped toward the doorway. She supposed she would need to find her sifu and inform him that she wouldn't be taking him up on his offer to send her home...at least not yet.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sub Zero sat quietly waiting for Wren to make the phone call she had requested. His mind kept replaying over and over again the incident from the previous night. How had allowed let himself to lose control like that? If Delilah hadn't entered the room at the precise moment she had and flipped on the lights, he most likely would have killed Wren. He wasn't sure he would have been able to live with himself had that happened. He had already lost so much.

He was certain that at any moment she would call him in and inform him that she was ready to leave. He couldn't blame her. She hadn't wanted to be here in the first place. Add to that the fact that he had more or less alienated her with his behavior toward her. He had hurt her physically, mentally, and emotionally. He wasn't sure which was worse.

He sighed. "Oh, Wren...words can't don't even begin to express how sorry I am." A soft tap on the door interrupted his thoughts. His head swiveled toward the sound. "Wren?"

The door eased open to reveal the young woman sillouetted in the doorway. "I'm finished."

Sub Zero got to his feet quickly and moved toward her, gently grasping her by the elbow. "I told you to call me when you were done so that I could assist you..."

Wren waved him off. "I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore." Despite her protests, she allowed him to lower her back onto the couch.

He studied her closely. She seemed to be struggling with something. "Did you get through to who you wanted to speak to?"

Wren nodded. "I did." She looked up at him. "Thank you...for telling me the truth."

"I should have been honest with you from the beginning. There needs to be trust between student and teacher..." He looked like he wanted to say something further but stopped. He frowned. "Let's get you back to your room. Delilah is probably going crazy wondering where you are...and I need to make some arrangements for you." He held his hand out toward her.

Wren hesistated only a moment before accepting the hand and allowing him to pull her carefully to her feet and usher her toward the door. She shook her head, finally making up her mind. "No. I'm not going anywhere."

Sub Zero froze in his movement and turned to look at her questioningly. "Wren?"

She looked down at her feet, certainly unsure of what she was saying now that she was under his scrutiny. "I'm not leaving. I-I want to stay." Her voice waivered slightly as she spoke. Did she really want to stay?

Sub Zero put a hand under her chin and tilted her head back, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Are you sure?" His eyes held the slightest glimmer of hope as they searched hers for an answer.

Wren nodded her head slightly a bit more confident now seeing the look in his eyes. "I'm sure." Wren didn't have the chance to say anything further as she suddenly found herself smashed against Sub Zero's chest with his arms wrapped around her. It took her mind a moment to realize that he was embracing her. She could feel his warm breath against her ear as he softly murmured his apologies for all that had transpired.

"I am so, so sorry..." Sub Zero pulled Wren tighter against his chest as if afraid she would change her mind and run away.

"I know." Wren timidly returned his embrace, allowing her arms to slip around his waist. She wasn't exactly certain what was going on here, but there was one thing that she was sure about. For whatever reason, at this moment in time, they needed each other. She couldn't leave.

End of Chapter 22

**I know this was a long time coming. I hope it isn't too terribly disappointing, but like I said, I do have the next chapter written and ready be posted. I just need to do a bit more tweaking. The action should pick back up a bit shortly. Anyways, please read and review. I need some input to get my creative juices goin' again, lol. Later!!! **


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay...my computer decided not to cooperate. It basically went on a rampage. Data recovery IS NOT a fun way to spend a weekend, lol. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: Yeah, right...lol.**

A little over two weeks had come and gone since the incident in Frost's room. During that time not another word was exchanged between Sub Zero and Wren concerning what had happened. It was as if they had come to some unspoken, mutual agreement to just let it go and move forward. The unease and tension that seemed to permeate the atmosphere when the two were together had more or less vanished since then, much to the relief of both parties involved, and once Wren's injuries had healed enough, the two found themselves back in the training room.

"Why do I have to wear this again?" Wren tugged uncomfortably at the mask that hid the lower part of her face. "I can't breathe."

Sub Zero chuckled. "If you can talk, you can breathe." He shot her a look over his own mask as he helped her adjust the one she was wearing. "Do you want one of these?" He gestured to the scar than ran down one side of his face and disappeared under his mask.

Wren tugged at her mask once more as she looked up at him. "No..."

"Then you'll wear the mask. Ice is sharp. It breaks and splinters. You don't want to be hit in the face...I don't want you to be hit in the face." He gave her a wink as he made one final adjustment. "There. Now, let me see your jian."

Wren handed him the sword. "What exactly are we doing?"

"You'll see." Sub Zero turned the sword in his hands, examining the gleaming blade as the overhead lights reflected off of the well-oiled metal. "This is an antique...its in exceptional condition." He looked at Wren appreciatively. "You've taken excellent care of it."

"Yeah, well..." Wren shifted from one foot to the other and tilted her head. "Xiong always says that your sword is an extension of yourself and that you should care for it like you would any other part of your body..."

Sub Zero nodded. "Xiong is a very wise man. Here." He gave Wren back her sword and looked her in the eye. "I believe that I'm in the mood to do a little sword fighting. Are you feeling up to it?"

Wren grinned behind her mask. "I suppose..." She glanced around. "Where's your sword?"

"I see it's time for yet another lesson." Sub Zero took a step back away from Wren and began to channel his energy into harnessing the surrounding water vapor to form his kori blade.

Wren stared at the perfectly formed blade with wide eyes. Carefully, she reached out and touched it, running one finger down it's icy length. "I wanna learn that..."

Sub Zero looked at her with amusement. "I have every intention to teach you. First, however, I want to see exactly what Xiong has taught you. First things first." He smiled at Wren behind his mask. A lot had changed between them since the incident. Sure, he still felt absolutely terrible about what had happened if he stopped to think about it, but he had begun to believe that it may in fact have been a blessing in disguise. The rapport between them had never been better and the bond between student and teacher seemed to have grown exponentially in a very short time. He had almost forgotten why he hadn't wanted to be honest with her in the first place.

Wren nodded. Sword fighting was one of her favorite things to do back home. While she may have not been well versed in hand to hand martial arts upon her arrival at the Lin Kuei Temple, she had improved by leaps and bounds under Sub Zero's masterful instruction, swords were her passion. She hoped that the skills she possessed, even though she was positive that they would pale next to her sifu's, would be enough to warrant some kind of praise from the Grandmaster. She actually surprised herself with the realization of just how much his approval meant to her. She would make him pround. She lazily swung her sword around in an arc before assuming her position and putting some distance between herself and Sub Zero by extending the jian out in front of her.

Sub Zero looked her up and down. "Very nice form." He nodded approvingly as he too got into position with his own sword.

Wren and Sub Zero circled each other slowly. She replayed Xiong's lessons over in her head as she mentally prepared. '_Let your opponent strike first...Pay attention to where both swords are at all times...Watch your opponents eyes and shoulders to predict the direction of their next attack...Maintain posture and keep your opponent on point...'_

'_Smart girl...she's waiting for me to make the first move...' _Sub Zero smiled behind his mask as he lunged forward, bringing his blade down in a blur of movement.

Wren was caught a bit off guard at the speed of his attack, but she was faster. She easily parried the attack and quickly stepped back a couple paces to keep a relatively safe distance between them. She could already tell that this was going to be fun.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They had been sparring for quite some time. Sub Zero was very surprised by Wren's speed and agility. She was actually beginning to tire him out slightly, which was not an easy feat given his endurance and stamina. Xiong had indeed taught the girl very well. Her skill at defense was impeccable and her offense was carefully calculated to get the most out of each strike without exposing too much of herself or expending too much energy. Sub Zero was impressed. He had noticed, however, that Wren was beginning to lose focus as the fight went on. Perhaps it was time to impart another important lesson on his pupil.

Wren watched as Sub Zero raised his blade over his head and brought it down hard. The impact from ice meeting metal was so hard that it made her hands sting as it vibrated down the length of her sword and caused her to take a couple involuntary steps back. She had not yet fully recovered from that blow when Sub Zero struck again causing her to take another few steps back as his kori blade crashed into her jian with deadly force. As his blows became harder and more forceful, Wren found herself having to back away even further. No one was more surprised than her when she suddenly found her back up against the cold, stone wall of the training room, pinned there by the bulk of her sifu's body.

Both of them gasped for breath due to the exertion their fight had caused. Wren struggled for a moment against the weight keeping her immobile before finally completely relaxing her body in a show of surrender. She released her grip on her sword, allowing it to fall to the floor with a loud clatter. "You win."

Sub Zero didn't move. He continued to gaze down on his trapped student, his eyes revealing nothing. "Tell me what you think you did wrong to end up in this position."

Wren blinked up at him. "I wasn't paying attention and I allowed myself to be backed into a corner..." She sighed in defeat and allowed her head to fall back against the wall.

Sub Zero's eyes immediately traveled from Wren's face to the suddenly exposed flesh of her throat. After two weeks, the only evidence left of what he had done was one small, rapidly fading bruise at the base of Wren's neck. With his free hand, he carefully traced over the mark with his thumb causing Wren to jump with surprise. "It's almost gone..." He spoke the words softly as he looked back up into Wren's eyes.

His thumb continued to glide over the mark softly as he studied Wren. Another thing he had come to realize due to this entire experience was that his affection for his student was growing into quite a bit more than the paternal feelings he had toward her originally. Sighing, he allowed his head to drop forward to where his forehead rested against hers. His eyes closed. _'What am I doing?' _

"Sifu?" Wren couldn't figure out what was more confusing, the lack of attention she had received from her teacher previously, or the attention he was bestowing on her now. Although not entirely unpleasant, she found her current situation a bit awkward. She wasn't exactly sure what was transpiring. She shifted as much as his weight would allow and tried to look up at him. "Is everything alright?"

He pulled back slightly to look at his student. He was suddenly very glad that he had insisted that she wear her mask as he was currently experiencing certain impulses that would have been difficult for him to control were it not for the barrier between them "Fine, Wren. Everything's fine..." His voice sounded slightly strained as he spoke. "You're right. You need to pay closer attention to you surroundings." Reluctantly, he backed away from her, freeing her from the wall. "I think..." Sub Zero was interrupted by a loud noise from outside the training room. The muffled sound of people running and shouting made their way into the room.

Wren looked at him wide-eyed. "What is that?"

"I don't know." He was already making his way toward to door, kori blade in hand. He paused to look back at Wren. The softness that had been in his eyes moments before replaced by the ferocity of the warrior that he was. "Stay here. I'll be back." He exited out into the chaos of the cooridor leaving Wren standing alone in the middle of the room.

End of Chapter 23

**Dun, dun, dun...What could possibly be going on out there??? I guess we'll just have to wait to find out. I hope you enjoyed this little installment. I'll try to update again soon! Until next time...happy reading! **


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note: I know I haven't updated this story in like forever (Which KombatLady brought to my attention). I apologize for that. I've just been super busy. I know...excuses, excuses, lol. This chapter may be a little (okay...a lot) on the short side, but I am planning on setting aside a day really soon to do some MASSIVE writing. This chapter is more of a bridge than anything else. I have a lot of ideas rattling around in my head it's just finding the time to get them written down. As always, your ideas and comments are always appreciated. See ya at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: VQ does not claim to own Mortal Kombat in any way, shape, or form. She just likes to exploit it's characters for her own amusement.**

**Wren's POV**

"What the hell is going on out there?" Wren stood in the training room listening to the dying commotion outside. She waited there for a few more moments listening to the fading voices and footsteps moving away. She knew her Sifu had specifically asked her to stay put, but curiosity got the best of her and she sheathed her jian and strode toward the door. Opening it, she peered out into the now deserted hallway. Whatever was going on, judging from the direction in which the sound was moving, the action seemed to be heading toward the temple's main cooridor. Wren pulled the uncomfortable mask away from her lower face and started slowly in that direction.

Unsure of what was actually going on, she moved cautiously, keeping her hand on the hilt of her sword just in case. She hoped her Sifu wouldn't be too angry that she had disobeyed him. Her mind flashed back to the memory of his body pinning hers against the wall in the training room, in what had at first seemed to her to be an innocent lesson in paying attention to what you're doing. The way he looked down upon her, however, had given her an entirely different message. It had caused her insides to flutter nervously and her heart to pound harder against her ribs, something that had never happened to her before. It wasn't unpleasant by any means, just...confusing. She shivered at the memory as she rounded a corner.

The sound of running footsteps coming up quickly behind her snapped her back into the present. Wren whirled around, pulling her jian from it's sheath, only to come face to face with Del. "Goddamn it, Del! I almost lopped your head off! Jesus Christ!"

Del bent over with her hands on her knees, taking deep, gasping breaths as she tried to recover from her run through the temple. "Sorry -gasp- I've been -gasp- trying to find you..."

Wren looked at her friend with concern. "Are you alright?"

Del waved her hand. "Fine..." She took a deep breath and blew it out. "I ran all the way here from the guard post when I found out what was going on to see if I could find you."

"Found out what?" Wren looked at Del questioningly. "What's going on? Sifu left me in the training room and told me to stay put while he went to see what was happening."

"Come on." Del hooked one of Wren's arms with her own. "You aren't gonna believe this...I don't believe this..."

"Del?" She shot her friend another glance, but allowed her to lead her in the direction of the main gate.

A large crowd had gathered in the main cooridor. Del and Wren shouldered their way through to the outside of the temple where an even larger crowd had gathered. Wren could only catch snippets of the conversations going on around her and it only further fueled her confusion.

" ...has a lot of nerve..."

"...can't believe...dead..."

"...Grandmaster gonna do?"

"...walking out...punishment..."

"Del, what's going on?" Wren looked over to her friend who seemed to be scanning the crowd.

"Over there!" Del pointed. "Come on! This way!" Del looped her arm through Wren's once again and started pushing her way in the direction she indicated.

Del stopped near the edge of the crowd where a circle had formed. Peering between the bodies in front of them, Wren instantly recognized her Sifu. His back was to her, but she could tell by the posture of his body that he was speaking to someone blocked from her view. He seemed tense, possibly even angry at whomever he spoke to. She wished she could hear what was being said.

"Hey..." Del poked her in the side. "C'mon." Del grabbed her hand and led her around to where they could get a better view of what was transpiring. "There." Del pointed to the recipient of Sub Zero's words as the figure stood flanked by two guards who had their weapons drawn. Del turned to Wren with a bitter look on her face. "Can you believe it?"

Wren brought a hand to her mouth. "Oh my God...is that...?"

Del gave a snort of disgust as she nodded. "Frost..."

End of Chapter 24

**Uh-oh. That can't be a good thing... I want to send this chapter out to KombatLady since she was the one who suggested to me that it might be interesting to see what would happen if Frost decided to pop back into the picture. I can tell you right now, it ain't gonna be all sunshine and roses, lol. I know this was really short, but I promise there's some good stuff coming. I hope you liked it! I won't wait so long to update next time! Catch ya later!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I finally got this thing posted! YAY ME!! I kinda got hung up on this chapter. I kept having all kinds of distractions while I was trying to type this up. Not to mention that the muse seems to have gone insane. I wanted this chapter to go one way and it totally took off in a different direction all by itself. But, I guess that happens sometimes. Hopefully, you all approve. If not, feel free to curse me out and tell me how bad it sucks, lol. I cut this chapter in half for the sake of length. It was too long and too...well...idk...I'm not really diggin' it. But if ya'll like the way it's heading...I might go ahead and post the rest of what I've got. If not...I might take this chapter down and rework it...I haven't decided yet. **

**Disclaimer: Someone lied to you if you think I own Mortal Kombat. **

**Sub Zero POV**

The Grandmaster made his way down the hallway away from the training room where he had left his student. He was a bit surprised that he found himself quite angry that his time with Wren had been interrupted. As he moved with a determined stride down the hall toward the source of the disturbance, he found himself wondering what would have happened if he had simply given in to his urge to tear the mask away from her face and crush his lips against hers. His body warmed at the thought. Would Wren be accepting of his affections? Frightened? Sickened? Pushing the thought aside, he seized one of the guards by an arm as they tried to rush by him. "I demand to know what all this commotion is about. Now." The words came out a bit more forcefully than he intended.

The guard, startled to find himself looking into the face of the obviously irritated Grandmaster, stuttered out his reply. "The-the sentries...they-they've caught an intruder..."

Sub Zero narrowed his eyes angrily at the guard. "Out here? Who? Why wasn't I informed?"

The guard looked extrememly uncomfortable. "They-they wanted to make sure...before they came to you..."

Sub Zero was quickly becoming annoyed at the guard's response. "Make sure of what?"

The guard swallowed hard. "They think its Frost."

The Grandmaster immediately released the guard and took a step back. Was it possible Frost had actually returned. Mixed emotions flooded Sub Zero's mind. He looked back to the guard who was standing at attention, awaiting orders. "Return to your post."

"Yes, Sir!" The guard hurried away, happy to comply.

Sub Zero ran a hand down his face. He shot a glance back down the hallway in the direction he had come from. "Wren..." For a moment he considered retrieving the girl and taking her with him to investigate, then thought better of it. "I will be back...I promise." He turned and headed down the corridor leading to the outside.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Minutes Later...Outside the Temple**

"Why did you come here?" Sub Zero coldly asked.

The young woman said nothing, but continued to stare at the icy ground in front of her. One of the guards that flanked her nudged her roughly in the side. "The Grandmaster asked you a question. I suggest you answer him."

Frost looked up at Sub Zero, putting on her most innocent expression. It was a look that had served her well when dealing with him in the past. She hoped it would be an advantage to her now. "I...I didn't know where else to go..."

Sub Zero continued to regard her coolly. His face a mask of neutrality. "Let me rephrase the question...What made you think you would be welcome back here?"

Frost's eyes widened. Was he serious? Surely not. "I-I don't..."

Sub Zero held up a hand to silence her. "I will not elaborate on our last encounter out here in front of everyone, but certainly you are aware of the seriousness of what you have done. You don't honestly believe that would be so easily forgotten?"

The woman couldn't believe it. She recognized that tone of voice all too well. He was serious. She thought quickly of some way to placate him, bend him to her will as she had done so many times in the past. She always knew what to say to get to him. He was so easy...so willing to believe everything she told him. She tried to sound as sincere as she could when she spoke. "I admit what I did was wrong. You were right. You were always right. I let my ambition get the best of me. I finally understand what you were trying to tell me all that time. I would do anything to take back all that I've done if I could...I'm so sorry..." She smiled inwardly as the look on the Grandmaster's face softened for the briefest moment before he could stop it. She had him.

He seemed to consider her words for a moment. He continued to look her in the eye as he spoke to the guards. "Take her to my office. Post a watch on her. I'll be along shortly." He turned to gaze at the gathered crowd. "Disperse these people."

"Yes, Grandmaster." Guards moved to scatter the crowd as the two flanking Frost led her away toward the Temple.

"Get rid of her."

Sub Zero turned toward the voice. "Smoke?"

Smoke looked at his friend seriously. "Get rid of her. Send her back to wherever she came from. You know as well as I that no good will come of her being here. Especially now..."

Sub Zero looked back at Smoke and nodded appreciatively. "Your concern is duly noted. However, I am interested in hearing whatever she has to say."

Smoked sighed. "Just...remain vigilant."

"I intend to." Sub Zero watched as Smoke departed and turned to survey the departing crowd. His eyes immediately locked onto Wren as she stood off to the side with Del. He was walking in her direction before he even realized his legs were moving. "Wren?"

Wren's head snapped around to look at her Sifu. She and Del had been watching the guards lead Frost away. Wren looked up at him guiltily. "I know you told me to wait for you, but..."

Sub Zero cut her off. "No, it's fine. Delilah, excuse us please?"

Del nodded even as she continued to stare angrily after the departing Frost as she disappeared inside the Temple with her escorts. "Yes, Sir."

The Grandmaster waited until Del was out of sight before wrapping one cold hand around Wren's wrist. "Come."

Wren obediantly followed her Sifu back into the Temple and toward the training room. Instead of entering the room however, he stopped right outside the door, seemingly deep in thought. "Sifu?"

"I'm sorry." Sub Zero looked down on his student. "I have to deal with this...with her."

Wren wasn't sure why he was apologizing. "I understand..."

Sub Zero shook his head. "No, you don't." He sighed. "I didn't expect this to happen..." He looked at Wren apologetically.

Wren looked up at him a bit confused. "I mean...this is good, right? She came back. Thats what you wanted..." Her voice trailed off. She had the slightest inkling of doubt as to what her status was now that her Sifu's prized student had seen it fit to return. Perhaps now that Frost was back, Sub Zero would have no reason to want her here. She was amazed to feel a stab of jealousy go through her as the feelings she had been denying she had bubbled to the surface.

Sub Zero said nothing for a moment. He merely gazed down at his pupil. When he finally spoke, his voice was just above a whisper. "I used to think thats what I wanted, but now..." His mind was screaming for him to walk away now and leave the rest unsaid, as uncertain as he was of the reaction he would receive.

Wren could tell by the look on his face that he was having an inner conflict over whatever it was he wanted to say. She waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she felt compelled to question him. "What?"

As he looked into Wren's eyes, he knew it was going to come out before he even opened his mouth again to speak. There was no stopping it anymore. The words tumbled out of his throat seemingly of their own accord. "I want you..."

Wren's breath hitched in her throat and something inside her twisted with pleasure at his words. She wasn't certain she had heard him correctly. "I don't...understand..."

"Wren..." Throwing caution to the wind, he closed the space between them. He paused only for a second before pulling her tight against his chest and doing what he had been aching to do for some time now. Tilting her head back with careful fingers, he gently brushed his lips against hers...Frost could wait.

End of Chapter 25

**OH MY GOD!! What the hell have I written?! (bangs head on keyboard) That was just...ugh. Why didn't you all stop me?? I had to quit typing...I was disturbing myself...(sits in the corner and cries)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note: Yay! An update! I know I'm a procrastinator. I'm sorry. I picked a bad place to leave off on the last chapter. I promise to do better. I'm trying to rotate updates for my stories so none get ignored. Thank you KombatLady and Yaya Hatake for poking me once in a while to make sure I'm still alive, lol. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! **

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I still don't own Mortal Kombat. When and if I ever do, you guys will be the first to know. **

**Sub Zero and Wren POV**

At the first feel of Wren's soft, pliant mouth under his own, Sub Zero groaned. He brushed his lips against her's softly. Even in his most vivid fantasies, he hadn't expected something as simple as a kissing her to feel so good. Encouraged by the feelings coursing through him, he let his hands slide down from where they held her shoulders to rest on her waist, pulling her tighter against him. Gently, he nipped at her bottom lip, silently asking for entrance.

Wren gasped quietly as her lips parted slightly allowing Sub Zero access. A delicious shiver raced down her spine when his tongue first pushed passed her lips to gently nudge her own before deepening the kiss further. Warmness spread throughout her body and Wren stood up on her tiptoes in an attempt to get closer. Her arms, seemingly of their own accord, moved to wrap around her sifu's neck.

It took hearing a soft moan escape from Wren for Sub Zero to realize what it was he was actually doing. Reluctantly, he kissed her gently on the lips once more before parting his mouth from hers. He kept his hands on her waist to hold her to him, enjoying the closeness. His enjoyment of the moment was short lived, however, as guilt over what he was doing suddenly flooded his mind a second later. He quickly dropped his hands and took a step back. What right did he have to touch her in such a manner, to use her for his own comfort? He was certain that Wren wouldn't willingly consent to accepting that sort of affection from him, especially after all he had put her though. Furthermore, he was her teacher and to act in such a way went against his principles, despite feelings to the contrary. He looked down on his pupil, her eyes wide with shock. "Wren...I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...I'm not sure what came over me..."

Wren blinked up at him in a daze, still a bit unsure of what just happened. He had just kissed her, hadn't he? Her lips still tingled with the feeling of having her sifu's pressed against them. The few moments they had been in contact had been heavenly. She felt flushed. Heat had pooled in her body in places she had rather not think of. Her heart felt as though it would pound its way out from behind her rib cage. Her hand wandered up to her face and her fingers grazed her lips where his mouth had been. She was vaguely aware of his rambling apologies, but they were hard to make out over the sound of rushing blood filling her ears. She had been kissed before but it had never invoked feelings in her like this.

"Wren?" Her silence was unsettling to him. He hoped that his momentary loss of control hadn't damaged their relationship beyond repair. He didn't know what had finally pushed him to give in to the impulse. Perhaps seeing Frost again had triggered it. That, and the fact that seeing his wayward student again hadn't brought back the feelings he thought it would. Instead, he surprisingly found himself rather irritated that the woman would choose now of all times to reappear and intrude on the fragile relationship he had cultivated with Wren.

Maybe, he thought, kissing her had been a way to reaffirm to himself where his loyalties now lie. He doubted that theory, though. The feeling had been there long before, steadily growing in strength as time passed and they got to know one another better. The events of today had merely been the catalyst to force it to the surface. Whether or not he cared to admit it, he found himself wishing he could, among other things, kiss her again.

Wren finally managed to calm her jangled nerves enough to speak. "Sifu...I...I don't..." The words she was looking for escaped her and she lapsed back into silence. Her hands twisted together nervously. She wasn't sure what one was supposed to say in a situation like this. She had no idea what he expected from her. She wished she could look into his mind and see what he was thinking.

Mentally scolding himself, Sub Zero sighed. He was certain she was repulsed by his actions. "Wren, you don't have to say anything. I was in the wrong and I apologize if I overstepped my bounds. I never should have let something like that happen." He studied her a moment with some concern. "I hope that this will not have a negative effect on our training."

Wren shook her head slowly. She was a bit concerned at the disappointment she felt at his words. To her it seemed as if he was writing the whole experience off as an accident, something that never should have happened. The hurt she felt surprised her. She had to say something, he was still waiting for an answer. "N-no, sifu."

"Good." He smiled at her a bit sadly before straightening himself. He suddenly remembered the task that awaited him. "I have business to attend to. You are excused."

Wren nodded silently and turned to go down the hallway that would lead her to the quarters she and Del shared. For the first time since she came to the temple, she found herself hoping that her friend would not be there when she arrived. She needed some time alone to try to sort out the feelings she was having.

Sub Zero gazed longingly after the young woman until she vanished around a corner out of sight. He ran his tongue over his lips and groaned. He could still taste her. Damn him, what was he thinking?! Obviously, he couldn't leave things with Wren the way they were. His kissing her like that had complicated things. He shook his head and sighed. He didn't have the time to dwell of the implications of his actions at present. Frost was waiting to be dealt with. Slowly, he began the trek to his office. He hoped that by the time he got there he would have figured out what he was going to say to Frost. He was by no means looking forward to the confrontation.

End of Chapter 26

**Too cheesey? Sucky? Piece of crap that I need to rewrite? You be the judge, lol. I hope it was at least entertaining on some level. Anyways... **

**Sorry this is so short. I know I told KombatLady that I would put this up in a day or two, but I thought, 'What the hell...I'll split the chapter and put it up in two parts'. That way, ya have something to read while I'm ironing out the kinks in the other half! So, be on the look out for another update sometime this week dealing with Sub Zero's talk with Frost...and maybe a little Frost/Wren confrontation...who knows what all I have up my sleeve, haha! I love Frost...I should really write a fic about her...oh, the possibilities...SEE YA SOON!!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note: Another update?! GO ME!! I stayed up late last night proofing this so I could get it posted. I hope I caught all the mistakes. I tried. This was originally stuck to the end of the last chapter, but I chopped it in half and added a few more little things here and there. I was gonna work in a little Frost/Wren confrontation, but I think that'll fit better in the next chapter. This is a little on the short side but I hope you enjoy it! Enough talk, lets get on with it shall we? **

**Disclaimer: I wish...**

**Sub Zero's Office**

Frost lounged in the chair, her legs stretched out in front of her and crossed at the ankles. Her fingers were laced together behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling. She appeared almost peaceful if not for the crooked smirk that twisted her mouth. She sighed contentedly. She was finally back where she belonged.

The door behind her opened and slammed shut again causing her to sit up straight and turn to see who it was. She put on her sweetest smile as she observed the Grandmaster watching her. "I've missed you, Sifu."

Ignoring her words, Sub Zero moved across the room to the other side of his desk and looked down at her. "It is cutomary to stand in the Grandmaster's presence until invited to sit."

Frost grinned as she stood slowly. "I didn't realize you had become such a stickler for formality."

Sub Zero sank down into his chair. His eyes were glued to the woman standing before him and the playful grin she had on her face. "Does something about this situation amuse you?"

Frost's grin widened. "No, Sifu. I'm just really glad to be home." Dropping her voice to convey as much sincerity as she could muster, she continued. "You probably don't believe me, but I meant what I said. I really have missed you." Frost prided herself on how to read her sifu like a book. It was one of the things that had allowed her to make it as far as she had in the Lin Kuei. She mentally slapped herself on the back in congratulations when she saw him arch one of his eyebrows slightly. Her words were having at least some effect.

"Sit down." Sub Zero motioned to the chair she had been sitting in previously.

"Thank you." Frost sat obediantly, folding her hands in her lap and doing her best to look prim and proper.

The Grandmaster regarded her for a moment before speaking. "Do you realize the magnitude of what you've done? What could have happened if you had succeeded?"

The woman put on her most wide-eyed, innocent expression. "I understand that what I did was wrong. I've had quite a bit of time to think about it and I truly regret..."

"Regret?" Sub Zero chuckled darkly. "It wasn't very long ago that the penalty for walking out on the Lin Kuei carried a death sentence. I'm not even taking into account the fact that you tried to usurp leadership of the clan. If word of that ever came out, I'm sure you could imagine what would happen."

Frost gasped and tried to look horrified, but was fuming inside. Was the bastard threatening her? "You would hand me over to the rest of the clan to be executed?"

Sub Zero's expression softened a bit when he saw what he took to be a terrified look on Frost's face. He sighed and shook his head. "That isn't the fate I would wish for you...I had such high hopes for you, Frost."

Frost lowered her head to hide her smile. What a sentimental fool, so easy to manipulate if you knew the right strings to pull. "I know. I'm sorry I disappointed you." Getting herself under control, she looked back up and leaned forward in her chair toward the desk. "I know I don't deserve it, but I'm asking...no, begging you for another chance. I won't disappoint you again...I want you to teach me..." Frost inwardly smirked as she watched Sub Zero consider her words.

The Grandmaster surprised himself. He had thought that if this opportunity ever made itself available that he would have welcomed his pupil back with open arms. However, he now found himself hesitant to do so. His mind now wondered about what effect inviting Frost back would have on his relationship with Wren. "It isn't that simple, Frost."

Frost frowned. She had been so certain he would readily agree and ask her back. Something had definitely changed during her absence. She would make a point of finding out what that something was. Right now, however, she needed to kick it up a notch.

She scooted toward the edge of the chair and reached across the desk, clasping one of his hands in both of hers. Tears pooled in her eyes. "Sifu...please." She sniffed. "I want this so badly...I want another chance to prove myself to you..."

Sub Zero untangled his hand from both of hers and stood. "You undermine my trust, my faith in you, and then show up here out of the blue expecting me to just throw open the front door and let you back in? You have wagered much on my capacity for mercy and forgiveness. You lied to me. You tried to kill me. You tried to steal from me..."

Frost allowed a tear to slide down her cheek. She spoke the words that had never failed to get her way in the past. "I-I love you..."

"ENOUGH!" Sub Zero bellowed at the woman causing her to jump. Sub Zero lowered his voice. Despite his better judgment, the sight of the crying woman in front of him tugged at his heart. It wasn't the same feeling he had once held for her, but it was enough. "If I allow you to stay, it would not be without certain...restrictions."

Frost blinked up at him with wet eyes. A soft smile pulled at her mouth. "Y-you're letting me stay?"

Sub Zero looked down upon her. "I said 'if'. I have yet to make a decision. For now, you may return to your old quarters. There will, of course, be someone nearby to keep an eye on you."

It was good enough for Frost. She believed it wouldn't take long before she was reinstated to her former position if she played her cards right. She immediately stood and came around the desk to him, throwing her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. "Thank you, Sifu. You won't be sorry." Frost smiled up at him and raised up on her tiptoes, intent on planting a chaste kiss on his lips, another tactic she had used to her advantage in the past.

Sub Zero turned his face away before her lips made contact and removed her arms from around his waist. "Don't." He stepped back from her. "I suggest you go now, before I change my mind."

Frost nodded, a bit confused as he escorted her to the door and out into the hall. Something was definitely different. She didn't like it and she didn't appreciate his abrupt dismissal. She would find out what was causing the change in the Grandmaster's behavior. She knew that some of it had to do with what had happened between them, but she sensed there was something else threatening her standing with him. She would discover whatever this obstacle was and eliminate it. Nothing would stand between Frost and getting what she wanted. Nothing.

End of Chapter 27

**Frost is a manipulative little thing, isn't she? Ha, ha! Anyways, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Stay tuned for the next one when Frost and Wren meet face to face...I'm sure it won't be pretty. That being said, if any of you have any good ideas for what might happen in a meeting between the two of them, lay it on me. I'm always open to ideas. Happy reading and I'll see ya next chapter!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note: YAY!! I finally got this updated!! I had some issues with moving and getting my computer set up and getting my internet service working right. So I am very sorry for the delay. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It rather lacks in action, so I am sorry...I think I'm kinda running into a wall with this one. I'm not really sure how I want the story to proceed beyond this point. So, if anyone has any helpful advice or story ideas, send them my way. Try to enjoy the chapter and I'll see you at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of the characters. I wish I did...but I don't.**

**Dining Hall, Del and Wren POV**

"Hey, are you alright? You haven't said two words all day." Del looked across the table at her friend with concern.

Wren looked up from her plate and nodded half-heartedly. "I'm fine."

Del frowned. "You don't look fine. You look…I don't know…depressed or something."

Wren slammed down her fork in frustration. "I'm fine, Del!"

Del's eyes widened in surprise at Wren's outburst. She held her hands up in defeat. "Sorry. Excuse me for being concerned." She turned her attention back to her lunch.

Wren took a deep breath and blew it out. "Del…" She reached across the table and caught her friend's hand in her own. "Look…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I appreciate that you worry about me. I-I just have a lot on my mind right now."

The other woman's voice took on a motherly tone. "Frost?"

Wren sighed as her fingers unconsciously found their way to her lips. If she imagined hard enough, she could still feel her sifu's lips pressed against her own. She shivered involuntarily at the pleasure the thought invoked. "Among other things."

Del's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed angrily when the door to the dining hall swung open and the topic of their conversation entered the room. "Speak of the devil…"

Wren turned her head slightly in the direction Del was looking. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably as she watched the woman survey the room with a critical eye. Wren's breath hitched in her throat when their eyes locked onto one another. She quickly turned in her seat to face Del. "Please tell me she isn't coming over here."

Del swallowed the forgotten food in her mouth. "I wish I could…"

**Frost POV**

Frost couldn't claim to have any friends in the Lin Kuei. She knew others only tolerated her because of her close relationship with the Grand Master. Still, she still held enough sway over some among the clan's ranks to get the information she needed…with the right motivation that is.

Frost was infuriated by what she had learned. Apparently, her sifu had found another with their gift to take her place. She was disgusted to learn that he had traveled all the way to China just to find the girl and had brought her back with him to train. The very thought of another taking her place made Frost want to retch. She needed to see this girl for herself and determine what sort of threat she posed…and eradicate it.

She stalked down the hallway toward the dining hall. She paused outside the doors only for a moment before pushing them open. She lingered in the doorway for a moment as all eyes turned towards her. She smiled to herself as she noted the startled looks of shock and awe that crossed the features of many in the room. She was pleased that they still held the same fear of her. She let the doors swing shut behind her as she stepped the rest of the way into the room.

Frost let her eyes wander over the crowd, looking for any unfamiliar faces. Almost immediately, she felt her gaze drawn to the table across the room. It had to be her. The girl sat rigidly in her seat, casting a cautious glance over her shoulder to where Frost stood before quickly turning to stare at her untouched plate. Frost smirked. This would be easy. No one had a greater claim on the Grandmaster than she did. No one. She would make this perfectly clear. She squared her shoulders as she strode towards the table.

XXXXXXXXXX

"My, my..." Frost slid into the seat next to Wren. "What have we here? I don't believe we've met, have we?"

Del gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white as she glared at the woman. "What do you want Frost?"

Frost sneered back at her. "I don't believe I was addressing you." Frost looked back toward Wren and smirked. She reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was talking to you."

Wren leaned away from the woman and chanced a glance up to see Frost staring at her maliciously. Why did she have the feeling that Frost was trying to draw her into some sort of confrontation? She shook her head slowly. "No, we haven't met." Almost as an after thought, she introduced herself. "I'm Wren."

Frost snorted. "I know. I'm also assuming you know who I am, do you not?"

Wren kept her eyes glued to the cold plate of food in front of her. "I do."

"Well..." Frost sighed. "Now that the formalities are out of the way...Just what the hell do you think you're doing here, Wren?" She eyed Wren up and down. "Surely you don't believe you belong here?"

Wren's head snapped up. "Excuse me?"

"Frost..." Del gritted her teeth as she stared daggers through the woman across the table.

Frost's head whirled around to face Del. "I'll warn you one time..._Delilah_. Mind your own business. This conversation is between _Wren_ and _I." _Frost raised her hand, channeling some of her power and allowing a fine mist to cling to her palm. "Stay out of what doesn't concern you. Consider this a friendly warning. You'll not get another."

Del ground her teeth together at the threat but said no more. Frost meant what she said, of that she had no doubt. Still, Del would not hesitate to intervene if the need arose. Wren was her best friend. They looked out for each other. If that meant attempting to take on Frost, then so be it.

"Now, where were we?" Frost turned her attention back toward Wren. "Let me make one thing very clear." Frost reached out and gripped Wren by the chin, twisting her head around painfully to look at her. "I **will** **not **tolerate having you here. The only reason you're here in the first place is due to a momentary lapse in the Grandmaster's judgement. You have no business in this clan. Bringing you here was a terrible mistake. Sub Zero told me as much himself in our meeting after my arrival. Now that I'm back, he no longer requires your presence." Frost smiled a bit seeing Wren's eyes widen.

Wren's heart thudded in her chest at the words the woman spoke. She had no way of knowing whether or not what Frost said was the truth or not, but the words still cut her like a knife. It had been her fear since she had learned of the other woman's arrival. What if her sifu really did have no use for her now that Frost had returned?

It pained her to realize how much she had come to depend on the relationship they shared...despite the fact that it seemed to be changing. He had kissed her, a deep, passionate kiss. Had that meant nothing? Had that been a momentary lapse in judgement also? Wren had spent every waking moment reliving the contact, analyzing it, trying to make sense of it. The conclusion she came up with was always the same: There was _something_ there between them, trying to come out. The kiss they shared was a manifestation of that something. Or, so she had thought. Perhaps she had been mistaken.

"Aww..." Frost mock pouted. "Don't look so surprised." She released Wren's chin. "I'm sure he would have told you himself sooner or later...but he's probably afraid of hurting your feelings." She smiled. "He's a bit...sentimental in that regard." Her smile faded as she grew serious once again. "So, why don't you do everyone involved a favor and just leave?"

Delilah couldn't stand it anymore. "She's full of shit, Wren..."

Frost growled as she looked at Del. "Am I really?" She stood slowly. "I'm simply giving our friend here a head's up." She looked condescendingly down at Wren. "Whatever you _think_ you have going here is nothing compared to what I share with the Grandmaster. Nothing. Bow out now while I'm still giving you the choice."

"Is there a problem here?" All three women turned to see the Grandmaster himself standing at the end of the table. His eyes roamed over them. He took everything in: Del's angry glare, Wren's crestfallen expression, and a very smug looking Frost.

Frost relaxed her features into the picture of innocence. She smiled playfully at him. "No, Sifu. No problem. I was just introducing myself." She walked toward him slowly, throwing a glance over her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you, Wren." She paused long enough as she passed Sub Zero to squeeze his arm in a display of affection.

Sub Zero shrugged off her touch as she passed. "Go to your quarters and stay there."

Frost smiled sweetly. "Yes, Sifu." She cast a final glance back at a visibly upset Wren before sauntering through the doors and out of sight.

Sub Zero cast his eyes back down upon his student. Obviously Frost had said something that bothered her greatly judging from the look on her face. What could Frost have possibly said to her? Anger swelled inside him. "Wren?"

Wren looked up but said nothing.

"What happened?" His expression was unreadable as his eyes scanned over her. He hadn't been able to make himself stop thinking about the woman since he had kissed her. Of course, she had never been that far from his thoughts prior to that. It was moments like these, seeing the wounded expression on her face, and acknowledging his desire to protect her from whatever had caused it that made him realize just how much he did care for her.

She shook her head weakly. "Nothing, Sifu."

Del hissed. "Nothing?!"

Sub Zero looked up at Del and then back to Wren. He cocked an eyebrow. "I see." He caught Wren by the elbow and pulled her to stand. He could barely contain the impulse to pull her the rest of the way to his chest and embrace her. He shook his head slightly. This was neither the time nor the place. He settled for resting his hands on her shoulders. A poor substitute, but better than nothing at all. "I think we will forgo our afternoon training session today. It would seem that we have something of more importance to discuss." He didn't give Wren a chance to agree or protest as he led her from the table. They did have much to discuss. Much more now that he had finally gotten a handle on how he truly felt.

End of Chapter 28

**Frost appears to be trying to start some stuff with Wren judging by the head games she's trying to play. Hopefully Sub Zero will begin to see her for what she really is before she really does manage to cause some drama. Stay tuned for the next chapter...What will Sub Zero say to Wren?? Will he give in to another of his "impulses"?? Guess we'll have to wait and see...Till next time!!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long for an update. I'm experiencing a bit of writer's block. I've started new chapters for all my stories and they're in various stages of development, but I just can't bring myself to finish them. I don't know whats wrong with me. I know you had to wait a while for this one. Hope you enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: Sorry, no.**

"Where are we going?" Wren followed lamely where Sub Zero led her. Her mind was still buzzing from her encounter with Frost. The woman's words had left her feeling unsure of her place. She found herself suddenly doubting why she had decided to remain under her sifu's tutelage even after he had given her the opportunity to return home. She now wished that she had perhaps taken him up on his offer.

Sub Zero remained silent as he led Wren through the twisting halls of the Lin Kuei Temple toward his private rooms. He paused suddenly as they came to pass in front of the door to Frost's quarters. He felt his stomach clench as he remembered the events that had transpired between himself and Wren in that room. He had come so close to killing her. The memory of the pain he had caused her was never far from his thoughts. Neither was the recollection of how it felt to lie with her in his arms after the fact for that matter.

The Grandmaster tilted his head and listened intently for a moment to the sounds coming from within the room. His gaze wandered down to the crack at the bottom of the door where a sliver of light spilled out into the hallway. Seeing the shadow of the room's sole occupant move across the doorframe, he let out a relieved sigh. Satisfied Frost was indeed in her room and unlikely to cause any more disturbance for the time being, he tugged on Wren's wrist, encouraging her to follow.

"Come."

Wren trudged along behind him obediently until they finally reached their destination. She watched as he unlocked the door and ushered her inside with a sweep of his arm. She turned her head slightly to see him lock the door behind them. She startled a bit when he placed one cool hand on the small of her back to guide her where he wanted her. His relative silence was beginning to get to her. "Sifu?"

Pushing his pupil gently into the sitting room, Sub Zero motioned toward the sofa. "Sit."

Wren sank down slowly on the couch, sitting on the very edge. The tension in her body wouldn't allow her to relax. The way Sub Zero was gazing at her made her feel as though she was being appraised. Perhaps, she thought, he was trying to decide if she was worth keeping around. "Did-did I do something wrong?"

Sub Zero pulled a chair over in front of his pupil. When he sat down he was so close that their knees touched. He leaned forward, his arms resting on his thighs. He was near enough that he could feel Wren's soft breath on his face. He shook his head. "No. You haven't done anything wrong. I want to know what all that was about in the dining hall. What did she say to you?"

Wren clasped her hands together uncomfortably in her lap. "Nothing really..."

He cocked an eyebrow as he watched her. "Then why are you so upset?"

Wren's eyes widened ever so slightly. "I'm not upset." She couldn't possibly confide her insecurity to him could she? He would no doubt find her concerns silly and immature, wouldn't he? Of course, none of that would matter if what Frost said held a shred of truth because she would be on her way out the door anyway.

"Wren..." Sub Zero untangled her hands from her lap and held them in his own. "Don't lie to me..."

XXXXXXXXXX

**Frost POV**

Frost paced. Her anger grew with every step she took. This had to be some sort of cruel joke. The very idea that the Grandmaster would choose to replace her with that-that...ARGH!! She was so angry she couldn't even come up with a suitable slur to label the other woman with. If this was indeed a joke, she wasn't laughing. Not at all.

She had meant every word she had said to the woman. She would not tolerate her presence in any way, shape, or form. She had been by the Grandmaster's side before Wren had come on the scene and she would be here long after she was gone. She would make sure of it.

Certainly, she had to take some of the blame for what had transpired between herself and Sub Zero that drove them apart. It _had_ been her that lusted after the position of Grandmaster. She _had_ lied to him about her true feelings and intentions. She _had_ frozen him to the ground and tried to steal the Dragon Medallion. The past aside, she was here now to reclaim her rightful position and Wren was the only thing standing in her way.

There was one thing that really bothered her and would no doubt make her job a lot harder than she anticipated. It seemed like the Grandmaster had already taken quite the liking to his new pupil. The way his eyes roamed lovingly over her form whenever he thought she wasn't paying attention suggested as much. It was sickening, really.

Frost knew it was only a matter of time before Sub Zero acted on his feelings...if he hadn't already. All it would take would be the smallest sign on Wren's part to let him know she was interested in having him teach her more than just cryomancing. Frost was fairly certain that hadn't happed...yet. At least she hoped it hadn't.

It was almost painfully obvious that the girl held some mutual feelings for the Grandmaster. Fortunately for Frost, Wren's nervousness around him and her insecurity held her back from acknowledging anything beyond their student/teacher roles...for now. Frost was certain, given enough time, the other woman would get over herself and embrace what the Grandmaster was already so willing to offer. Of course, Frost had no intention of allowing them that time.

She had already decided that it would be useless to try to sway Sub Zero away from the object of his desire. It was clear that he was already fixated on the woman, both as a student and a potential companion. Frost knew any interference on her part would simply drive the wedge between them further and push him further in Wren's direction. She would need to try another tactic.

A smile came to Frost's face. If she couldn't convince Sub Zero that he was wasting his time on the little wench, perhaps she could convince said wench that his affections lay elsewhere. Namely, in her. It was simply a matter of setting up a suggestive situation and making sure Wren was there to witness it. The difficult part would be luring Sub Zero into her little trap. It would take a bit of finesse on her part, but Frost was sure she could pull it off.

Frost laughed to herself. She knew Sub Zero would probably be angry with her at first for getting rid of his little plaything. He would forgive her eventually, though, just like he had done so many times in the past. It was for his own good. They were destined to be together.

XXXXXXXXXX

It had taken much coaxing, but Sub Zero finally got Wren to confess to him what was bothering her. He was quiet as he took in everything she said. He still held both of her hands in his own. His thumbs ran over the back of her hands gently as she spoke, encouraging her to continue. He was torn between wanting to reassure his student and dragging Frost to the front gate and slinging her out into the snow.

He waited for her to be done before he spoke, "You know that not to be true, don't you?"

Wren shifted a bit in her seat when he lightly squeezed her hands. "I-I don't..."

"Wren," He scooted even closer, his hands released hers to rest on her shoulders and massaged them gently. He leaned in so close that their noses almost touched. "I want you here."

Wren let out a breath she didn't even realizing she had been holding. "B-but..."

"No." Sub Zero shook his head and pulled the girl closer into what he hoped she would consider a comforting embrace and not an ill-timed attempt at affection. He closed his eyes as he breathed in the clean scent of her hair. "I want you to steer clear of Frost, alright? I'm not sure what her intentions are, but I don't trust them to be benign in nature. I am familiar with her enough to know that I would feel a lot better if you didn't interact with her."

Wren nodded in agreement as she enjoyed the feeling of having her sifu's poweful arms wrapped around her. Almost without thinking, she snuggled further into the embrace and let her arms, which had been hanging limp at her sides, to wind around his waist. In her mind she scolded herself for ever listening to the words Frost had so maliciously spewed. "What if she approaches me?"

Sub Zero turned his head slightly so that his lips grazed Wren's ear when he spoke. "Then I want to know about it." The innocent, comforting moment he had been striving for now seemed neither very innocent or comforting for that matter.

Damn it all! He felt Wren shiver slightly in his arms when he spoke. He couldn't keep going like this. With one hand he brushed Wren's hair away from her neck and pressed his lips against the exposed skin. He groaned, both in relief and arousal, when instead of pushing him away, Wren tightened her arms around him and tilted her head slightly to the side to give him better access.

His hands rubbed slow circles on her back as his mouth brushed up the side of her neck and skimmed along her jawline until his lips met hers. He pecked them softly before pulling back to look at her. His eyes looked into hers as if asking permission to continue. "Wren?"

Wren's breath hitched in her throat when she realized he was giving her a choice whether or not they continued on the path they had been on or allow their arrangement to evolve into something more. Was she willing to cross that line? Was she ready? After everything they had to go through to get to this point, how could she not be? She nodded slightly, granting consent. She felt her insides knot with anticipation as he drew her close again.

End of Chapter 29

**Oooh...cliffie, lol. This chapter had begun to spiral out of control into places I'd rather not go at the moment...I had no choice but to nip it in the bud, haha. Anywho...Frost is in the process of concocting a really nasty plan to get rid of Wren. I'm gonna give her a little time to get herself together while Subby and Wren...erm...express themselves. I hope to update soon(er) next time. If y'all have any good ideas for this story or Frost's little scheme lay 'em on me. Till next time, Happy Reading!**

**Voodoo**


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note: Hello, Chums! I am so, so, so, SOOO sorry it took me so long to crank this one out. DAMN YOU, WRITER'S BLOCK!! DAMN YOU!! I'm not even gonna get into how crappy I've felt lately. The important this is that I finally made it over the hump. I hope this chapter isn't too terrible. I know I owe you guys a super, major, update for making you wait so long. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint. Enough of my rambling already...ON WITH THE SHOW! **

**Disclaimer: If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. I don't own Mortal Kombat!**

**Frost POV**

Frost paced her room like a caged animal. She was still fuming, but at least she had a plan. It was simple really. The girl, she was certain, was insecure enough with herself to easily fall for the little show she was going to put on. If everything went according to plan, it wouldn't be long before the wench was heartbroken, in tears, and begging to go home.

She was certain Wren wouldn't pose a challenge. The sooner she was out of the way the better. The girl was merely a distraction. A nuisance, nothing more. Why Sub Zero couldn't see that was beyond her but it didn't matter. Once she had reclaimed her position by his side he would have other things occupying his time...namely, her. Wren would no longer be an issue.

An evil smirk spread across her face as she headed toward the door. There was no time to put her plan in motion like the present. She hoped Wren was prepared to meet her end. The girl didn't know it yet, but she was already done for. Wren would learn soon enough that Frost always got what she wanted. Always...and she wanted Sub Zero to herself.

XXXXXXXXXX

Frost flung open the door and stepped out into the hallway only to be met with an armed guard. She narrowed her eyes at the young man as he moved to block her path. "I suggest you get out of my way."

The man spoke up. "The Grand Master has requested that you stay in your quarters. I'm to make sure you do."

She laughed coldly. "You believe you are capable of keeping me confined?" She took a menacing step forward. Her arm shot out in a flash, capturing the man by the throat before he even had time to react. "I don't believe you are..." Channeling some of her power, she allowed the cold to seep into the man's neck causing him to gag and stuggle for breath.

"Pl-please..." The man choked the word out.

"Aww...too chilly for you?" Frost glared at him cruelly. "Well, since you asked so nicely..." She released the man's throat and kicked him into the wall. He crumpled to the ground in a heap. "Take that as a lesson to stay out of my way." She stepped over the shivering man and made her way toward Sub Zero's personal quarters.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Sub Zero's Quarters**

The Grand Master was in a state of disbelief. He could barely comprehend the idea that he was sitting here with his arms wrapped around his student, not in the course of a lesson but in the throes of a passionate kiss. He wasn't complaining, however, this was something he had longed to do for quite some time now. He had dreamed and fantasized about this moment in the privacy of his own head but he had never believed it would have actually happened. It completely exceeded his every expectation.

It was as if all the passing glances, all the awkward exchanges of words, and timid, accidental touches had accumulated to this point. It was like the proverbial cup had finally run over. For once, he had absolutely no regret over what he was doing. There was no guilt. There was only the young woman he had grown to care for so deeply pressed against him.

He wanted more. He flicked his tongue over her lips and kissed them gently before pulling back to look at her. He stroked the side of her face softly with the back of his fingers.

Wren let her eyes drift closed and leaned into the touch. "That's nice..."

For a moment he could only watch the woman as she nuzzled his hand. The sight only fueled his need for her. "Wren?" He pulled his hand away slightly and stood.

"Hmm?" Her green eyes fluttered open to gaze into his.

He needed to know that she knew he wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt her before anything further transpired between them. He wanted to make sure they were both on the same page. He held his hand out to her in invitation. "Do you trust me?"

Wren seemed to hesitate for only a moment as she looked at the offered hand. After all of the drama she had been through, the entire situation seemed utterly surreal. Still, she wasn't about to let the moment slip away, not after she had made up her mind that it really was what she wanted. She nodded her head slightly. "I trust you..." She took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

For a fleeting moment it seemed as if they were the only two that existed in the world. An unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them. Sub Zero pulled the woman toward him, intent on finishing what they had started when the spell was suddenly broken by a knocking on the main door of his chambers.

Reality suddenly came flooding back to the situation. The Grand Master took a deep breath and a reluctant step back from his student. While he wished nothing more than to press forward and explore this new aspect to their relationship, the harsh truth was that there were things that needed to be taken care of first. There were loose ends that needed to be tied up before he could truly commit his full attention where it was needed.

"Wren..." Not wanting the woman to think he was having another sudden change in heart, he bent and kissed her softly. Sub Zero turned his face toward the door as the knocking sounded again. "Perhaps this is not the best time..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Frost determinedly strode toward the cooridor that would lead her to the Grandmaster's quarters. She turned the corner quickly only to backpedal around the corner and duck down out of site. She cursed softly. Smoke was standing right outside of Sub Zero's door, knocking with one hand and clutching a bunch of papers in the other. She would have to wait for the gray ninja to leave before she could approach the Grandmaster.

A smirk twisted Frost's mouth as the door swung revealing the object of her desires. Sub Zero stepped out into the hallway and greeted his friend warmly as he accepted the papers from him. Frost couldn't help but smile when she thought of all the fun she was going to have making him forget all about his newest pupil when something else caught her eye.

Frost's smile turned into an enraged scowl. As Sub Zero bid Smoke goodbye, the gray ninja stepped away and headed down the hallway revealing the very person Frost did not want to see. Wren stood quietly off to the side behind Sub Zero. Frost watched as the Grandmaster turned slightly and beckoned the woman to him.

How she wished she were close enough to hear what was being said between them. They were talking in hushed whispers and standing so very close to one another...too close for Frost's comfort. She watched in horror and rage as the Grandmaster reached out to stroke the woman's face before leaning in and softly kissing her.

Frost wanted to scream. She wanted to wrench Sub Zero away from the girl and demand to know what he was thinking. She wanted to freeze the intruding little wench into a block of ice and push her out of the top of one of the towers so she could watch her shatter when she hit the ground. A growl escaped her throat. This would not be allowed to continue.

Frost didn't move from her hiding spot until Sub Zero had sent Wren away, back to her room she assumed. Only then did she rise from the floor and approach the door. Doing her best to disguise her anger and discontent, Frost knocked softly on the door. She forced herself to smile when it swung open.

Sub Zero narrowed his eyes at the woman standing before him. "Frost, what are you doing out of your room? I told you to stay in your quarters."

"Sifu," Frost looked up at the man through half-lidded eyes and smiled. "I know you did and I'm sorry to disobey, but there is something I must discuss with you. It'll only take a moment of your time..."

A sigh escaped the Grandmaster. He found himself second guessing just why he had even let the woman back inside the Temple. He suddenly wished he had done as Smoke had suggested and told her to leave. Still, he had invited her in, he had an obligation to hear whatever she had to say. He stepped back to allow his former student entrance. "Very well."

End of Chapter 30

**I'm not too sure I'm happy with the way this one turned out but I think you guys will find the next one a whole lot more interesting. Before I run off to go medicate myself, I'd just like to send a huge thank you out to a few people. So to ice-nydwen, Hint, xxx S M I L E E', KombatLady, and of course Yaya Hatake..."THANK YOU" for your very nice comments on the last chapter and for being so patient! Later! **

**VQ**


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note: Took me long enough, huh? I actually had something a bit different in mind when I started writing this chapter, but I think it is better the way it turned out. I hope you guys enjoy. See you at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own...I'm borrowing!**

**Wren POV **

Wren felt light as a feather as she glided through the passageway in route to the quarters she shared with Del. She could almost still feel her Sifu's lips brushing against her own. It had been a completely unexpected turn of events. Unexpected, but welcome. Despite the tension Frost's presence had seemed to cause, there was something undoubtedly right about being in the Temple under the Grand Master's tutelage.

There seemed to be something right about being in the Grand Master's arms. Wren wasn't sure exactly what Sub Zero's stance on the subject was although he had made his affection for her known. All she knew for certain was that for her it went deeper than just physical attraction, although she would be the first to admit that Sub Zero wasn't at all bad to look at. For her though, there was also a sense of kinship that far exceeded the simple student/teacher relationship. It was as if she had been searching for her niche and finally found it in this place. He was like her. He understood.

Rounding the corner at the end of the hallway Wren saw something that broke her out of her reverie. Crumpled against the wall near Frost's quarters, a guard sat gasping for breath.

Wren hurried to kneel by his side. "Oh my god, are you alright?"

The guard shivered as he looked up at the Grand Master's newest student. The coldness of the other woman's touch still seemed to permeate his body. He managed a nod. "F-fine..."

"You don't look fine..." Wren hooked one of her arms through his to help haul him to his feet. "What happened?"

The guard swallowed and suppressed another shiver. He looked down into the concerned eyes of the young woman who had assisted him. He couldn't tell her Frost had been the cause. The Grand Master himself had charged him with making sure she stayed in her room. He didn't doubt if he told her what had happened that his failure to perform his duties would be brought to the Grand Master's attention. That was something he didn't need.

He lied. "I think I may be getting ill."

"Well..." Wren studied the guard for a moment. "Maybe you should go to the infirmary."

"Yeah." The guard nodded. "I think I'll do that." Without another word, he quickly shuffled off in the aforementioned direction, eager to escape the scruitiny of the Grand Master's newest protoge.

Wren watched him go with an curious expression. _Poor guy._ Something wasn't right. Turning back toward where the guard had been sitting, her eyes slowly wandered over to the door to Frost's quarters. She glanced cautiously around herself to ensure she was alone before pressing her ear up against the smooth wood. Her eyes narrowed as she listened for any hint of sound.

Hearing nothing to indicate anyone being inside, Wren took a deep breath and turned the knob. The door swung open soundlessly. Wren stepped into the room and glanced around. She was immediately assaulted by memories of what had transpired in the very same room between herself and Sub Zero. No doubt it had been the absolutely most terrifying moment of her entire life.

Reining in her emotions, Wren confirmed the room was indeed vacant. Frost was gone and Wren was certain she was most likely responsible for the state she found the young man she had come across outside in the hall.

Concern flooded Wren. She knew that Frost wasn't exactly friendly, but she didn't think her to be so malicious as to actually openly assault another Lin Kuei right under Sub Zero's nose, not when she was in such a precarious position. Then again, according to Sub Zero, she had at one time taken her aggression out on him personally. This should be no surprise.

Wren frowned. Sifu needed to know who he was dealing with. Her decision made, Wren stepped back into the hall and shut the door behind her. Backtracking the way she had come, she made her way back toward Sub Zero's personal quarters.

**Sub Zero's Quarters**

Frost smiled sweetly up at Sub Zero. "Do you mind if we sit?"

Sub Zero blew out an irritated breath. "Frost..."

"Just for a moment?" Frost reached out to grasp one of his hands in both of hers. "Please? There are some things I really need to discuss with you."

Sub Zero twisted his hand away and sat down. "Then I suggest you speak quickly. There are things I must attend to."

_Like your little whore, perhaps?_ Frost smiled to hide her contempt and sank down next to him, making sure she was close enough that their knees touched. "I wanted to apologize."

Sub Zero eyed the woman. "For what?"

She leaned forward slightly. "For the thing that happened with Wren in the dining hall. I didn't mean to come across as such a bitch. She seems...nice."

"Apologize to Wren." Sub Zero leaned back slightly to put room between himself and the woman. "Not me."

Ignoring Sub Zero's discomfort, Frost moved slightly closer. "Was it easy?"

"Was what easy?" Sub Zero had retreated as far back onto the couch as he could go.

Frost broke eye contact and looked away. "Replacing me."

Sub Zero started a bit. Her words had caught him off guard. She sounded sincere and genuinely hurt. The defenses he had put up against her weakened. "I-I didn't..."

"Didn't you think of me at all?" Frost turned back toward the man with tears shining in her eyes. The look on his face told her all she needed to know. She had hit a nerve. She had him. "All I've done is think about you..."

"Frost, I..." Sub Zero was treading into dangerous territory. He could feel it. Frost looked so...vulnerable at that moment. He was torn between wanting to comfort the woman and wanting to shove her away from him. He had worked too hard to get passed this to allow himself to be sucked back in. He had worked too hard to get to the place he now stood with Wren. "I think..."

Frost reached out to place a cool finger against his lips, effectively silencing him. "I've missed you more than you can imagine." She moved closer still, pressing herself against him.

Sub Zero swatted her hand away from his face. "You said you wished to speak to me, not...this." He tried in vain to put some space between them. "I thought I'd made myself quite clear. I've no desire to revisit the past."

Despite his words, Frost felt encouraged by Sub Zero's discomfort. In a bold move, she quickly maneuvered herself to where she was straddling his lap. As she guessed he would, he tried to stand in an attempt to buck her off. She clamped her hands down onto his shoulders. Before he could disengage himself, she quickly pressed her lips to his, stopping him dead.

Sub Zero went completely rigid at the feel of the familiar mouth against his own. His mind screamed at him to push Frost away but his body seemed not to be responding to any of his commands. He didn't want this. He didn't want _her_.

Frost pulled back ever so slightly and looked into Sub Zero's startled eyes. She licked her lips, her face still dangerously close to his. "Just tell me you haven't thought of me. Tell me you haven't thought of me and I'll go away."

Sub Zero opened his mouth to speak. He would tell her the truth. He would tell her and hopefully she would keep her word and leave. Had he thought of her? Certainly. There had been a time when he could think of nothing else. Did he still think of her the same way? Definitely not. He didn't think he could ever bring himself to again. Not after everything that had happened. Not after Wren.

The words formed on his tongue but never passed his lips. A soft gasp interrupted the moment. He turned his head toward the sound to see Wren framed in the doorway. His stomach sank as he realized the position he was in. His mind reeled to provide the woman with an explaination. "Wren..."

Wren blinked at the couple in shock. No more than fifteen minutes ago she had been sitting on the very same couch listening as Sub Zero told her to avoid Frost. She had sat there and allowed him to kiss her, to touch her. Now he was there with Frost wrapped around him like a second skin.

The depth of the hurt surprised her. She struggled to form words. "I-I'm sorry..." She backed away from the pair. "I should have knocked...I-I didn't realize you were..." She didn't finish the sentence, she couldn't. She couldn't stay here another second. She turned and quickly made her exit.

"Wren!" Sub Zero called after the woman. He looked at Frost who still perched on his lap. He didn't miss the amused glint in her eyes. A low growl emanated from somewhere deep inside his chest. "Get off of me." He stood suddenly, sending Frost sprawling onto the floor with a grunt. He looked down upon her. "When I return you had better not be here." Without another word he stalked determinedly out of the room in the direction Wren had gone.

Frost lay where she had fell for a moment. Slowly, a smile spread across her face as she pushed herself up on her elbows. Not a bad start...but she still had so much more to do. So much more...

End of Chapter 31

**A super, huge,enormous, gigantic thank-you to Yaya Hatake, ice-nydwen, and the one and only Kombat Lady for their kind comments on the last chapter. Y'all have been sooo patient with my sporadic writing episodes...and I appreciate it. -smile- Hopefully, this chapter isn't too much of a let down. Be patient with me...things in this story are about to get a little...complicated. And interesting. **

**Till next time!**

**VQ**


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note: Honey, I'm home!!! Hey guys! Long time, no see! I have been very neglectful of my stories for a while and I apologize for that. I've been a busy little bee and haven't really had time to sit down and write anything for a while. Things have calmed down some so I am trying to get back into the swing of things. This is my first offering of what I hope will be back-to-back updates on all my stories. So, enough of the talky-talky...here's the new stuff!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own MK...ya'll know that!**

XXXXXXXXXX

Del sat cross-legged on top of her bed, humming happily as she restrung her bow. Needless to say, she was more than a little startled when the door to the room slammed open to admit her pale, shaken room mate. Instantly concerned, she sat the bow aside. "Wren? What's wrong?"

Wren said nothing. She merely crossed the floor to where her bed was, dropped to her knees and began pulling items out from underneath it. Unable to find what she was looking for, she stood and turned to face the other woman. "Have you seen my jian?"

"Wren..." Del's concern kicked up a notch when she saw the unshed tears shining in the woman's eyes. "What happened?"

Wren averted her gaze. "I need my sword."

"You put it in the closet..." Del stood and followed her friend across the room to the large, walk-in closet they shared. "Talk to me. What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on." Wren dug around in the closet until she found what she sought. Tucking the scabbard under her arm, she stepped out and closed the door behind her. "I just can't do this anymore."

"Can't do what anymore?" Del was becoming more worried by the second. "What are you talking about?"

"This..." Wren turned to face the woman and gestured around herself. "This whole place. Sub Zero...Frost..." Wren blinked her eyes as tears threatened. "I can't keep going like this."

Del's jaw clenched. "Its her, isn't it? What did she do? Did she say something to you?"

Wren shook her head. "She didn't have to say anything. Actions speak a lot louder than words ever could. Its obvious to me that I am somewhere that I have no business being. I've outlasted my usefulness. The sooner I'm out of here, the sooner things can go back to the way they were."

"Back the way they were?!" Del looked at Wren with a confused, panicked expression. "You're talking about leaving? You can't leave! We'll talk to the Grandmaster. Whatever's going on between you and Frost..."

Wren snorted. "No, he's already made it very clear where he stands on the subject. There's nothing else to say." Moving away from her friend, she paused at the door, casting a glance back over her shoulder. "I've really enjoyed knowing you." She smiled sadly as she passed through the doorframe and out into the hallway.

"Wren, wait!" There was a shuffling of footsteps as Del hurried to catch up with the retreating woman.

"Del, what are you doing?" Wren eyed the woman as she caught up with her.

"What does it look like?" Del shrugged and offered her friend a smile. "I'm going with you."

XXXXXXXXXX

_Why? Why did this have to happen? After everything he had worked through to get this far... _

Sub Zero's arm shot out to capture a passing Lin Kuei. His icy fingers rested loosely around the man's throat. He pinned the frightened man with his piercing gaze. "Have you seen Wren?"

"N-no, Sir" The man shook his head vigorously.

Sub Zero released the man and cursed softly. He had been everywhere he thought she may go with no luck. The only place he hadn't been was the room she shared with Delilah and he was on his way there now. He prayed to the gods she would be there. He had to know that she understood that, despite what she may have seen, there was nothing going on between himself and Frost.

Why hadn't he just listened to Smoke in the first place when he told him to turn Frost away? His sense of responsibility and the affection he had once held for the woman had blinded him in a way that he could scarcely see what was before his face. Deep down he knew she was an irretrievably lost cause. Her motives were completely self-serving. Her pride and selfishness prevented her from ever being more than what she was. No amount of encouragement on his part would ever change that.

Any lingering doubt he may have had about his feelings for his former student were swept away the very moment he took Wren into his arms. The two women were like polar opposites. His time mentoring Frost had been an uphill fight, always a struggle both personally and professionally. With Wren, things seemed to flow along naturally. He likened it to having been wandering through the blistering desert and finally being offered something cold and refreshing to drink...and he had no intention of ever doing without again. Not if he could help it. Things would be rectified if it was the last thing he ever did.

Frost had to go. Of that much he was absolutely certain. She could not remain if he ever hoped to gain any sort of semblance of normalcy. She most certainly could not stay if he hoped to retain Wren, which at the moment was his main concern. The fragile bond he had managed to forge with the young woman had suffered greatly in just the short amount of time Frost had been back on the scene. His only hope of salvaging anything of their relationship was to get Frost out of the picture. He only hoped it wasn't too late.

End of Chapter 32

**I know this one is on the short side. Its just a little something to get things rolling again and back on the right track. I hope it wasn't too terribly disappointing. I didn't forget about Frost, either. Trust me, she's creeping around somewhere with something deliciously evil planned...but we'll get into that with the next one. Peace! **

**VoodooQueen**


End file.
